The Ferruginous Duck, as its name suggests, is a rich, warm brown colour. The female looks larger with a slimmer, longer neck, slightly duller colour and a dark eye. The drake is more compact/ squat, a richer chestnut colour and with a light eye. Both have bluish grey bills with a black tip, white undersides and a white patch under their tails.

Male (above) and female (below). Diving ducks native to Central/South Europe and Asia, wintering in Mediterranean/North Africa; these ferruginous ducks live in London.

The bill is similar to that of the Pochard, another diving duck to which the Ferruginous duck is related, and to the tufted duck. (The white patch under the tail distinguishes it from the latter.)

White-eyed Ferruginous drake

White lower wings

Different bill