The Birds of the Blue Lake - The Tufted Duck

After mallards, tufties are probably the next most common duck species in the UK that your average town dweller will come across. Out in the sticks in winter teal and wigeon may be far more numerous; but they don't seem to visit urban bodies of water.

I've never ever seen a tufted duck chick, and in summer they tend to disappear to breed I know not where. But with their yellow eyes, drooping crest, and precision plumage that makes them look like models, they are very characterful little ducks indeed!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 29.12.15