Netta rufina
The tufted duck is one of the most spectacular diving ducks in Europe, easily recognizable by its unique head profile. In the Danube Delta, it is a species that adds a special splash of color to lakes with clean water and abundant submerged vegetation.
The male has a large, reddish-orange head with a tuft of velvety feathers that give it a bulging appearance. The bill is bright red and the chest and abdomen are black, contrasting with the white flanks. The female is much more modestly colored, being a pale grey-brown, with whitish cheeks.
It prefers deep lakes with fresh or slightly brackish water, rich in macrophyte vegetation. In the Danube Delta, it is present on large lakes and in regeneration areas where the water quality is high. It winters in the Mediterranean basin, but in mild winters it can also be seen in Dobrogea.
Further details to be added.
The tufted duck reaches sexual maturity at 2 years. Nests in dense vegetation near water (reeds, rushes), building a nest of plants. Lays 6–12 greenish-cream eggs, hatched by the female for 26–28 days. The chicks are nidifugal and can swim immediately. They are fed by the female and become fliers at 45–50 days. The male leaves the female during incubation and associates with other males. It arrives in March–April and departs in October–November. It can live up to 15 years.
The global status is "Least Concern" (LC). In Romania, it is a monitored species, being sensitive to lake eutrophication (nutrient pollution) which leads to the disappearance of the submerged vegetation it feeds on.
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