Birds by Name – F

Ferruginous Duck

The Ferruginous Duck, Aythya nyroca, is a rich mahogany red dabbling duck which is in decline throughout Europe. The males have white eyes and a greyish bill with a black tip. They also have a patch of white at the back under the tail which helps distinguish them from the fairly similar Tufted duck.

Their breeding habitat is marshes and lakes with a metre or more water depth in southern and eastern Europe and southern and western Asia. They often winter farther south and into north Africa.

They eat aquatic plants supplemented with a few molluscs, aquatic insects and small fish.

Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Subfamily: Aythyinae
Genus: Aythya
Species: A. nyroca

Fieldfare

The Fieldfare, Turdus pilaris, is a member of the thrush family Turdidae. It breeds in woodland and scrub in northern Europe and Asia and is strongly migratory.

The Fieldfare is omnivorous, eating a wide range of insects and earthworms in summer, and berries in winter.

It is usually between 22 and 27 cm long, and has a plain brown back, white underwings and grey rump and back of the head head. The breast has a reddish tint and both the breast area and flanks are heavily spotted. There is not much difference between the sexes when it comes to colouring.

The Fieldfare is quite a social bird, often seen in large flocks.

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Turdidae
Genus: Turdus
Species: T. pilaris