Tufted duck

What am I?

I am a small diving duck.

Where do I come from?

I live on the Solent coast all year round, but our numbers are boosted in the Winter due to migrants from Northern Europe.

A bit about me

I am mostly black, with a tuft on my head and bright yellow eyes, so I’m pretty punk! Males have white sides, and females have brown. I am the most common diving duck in the UK and you’ll often see me diving under the surface of the water to find tasty iinsects, molluscs and plants. You can probably spot me in your local park pond, clearing up after all the other ducks by eating the food that sinks to the bottom. You might be able to track me underwater by watching for a trail of bubbles.

Local spotlight

I am pretty common in lakes, ponds and estuaries around the Solent.

Conservation status

I’m green listed in the UK

My name might not be listed in the Solent’s Special Protection Areas but I am still definitely important for the coastal ecosystem and form part of the non-breeding waterbird assemblages which these regions are protected for.