Tufted Duck

This species is defined as a Review Species . Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page .

Scientific Name: Aythya fuligula

Malay Name: Itik-Selam Berjambul

Chinese Name: 凤头潜鸭

Range: Found throughout northern temperate Europe and Asia, wintering to equatorial Africa, Middle East, Indian subcontinent, southern China, Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia.

Taxonomy: Monotypic.

Size: 40-47 cm

Identification: Male has mostly blackish plumage with contrasting white flanks, drooping crest, greyish bill with black tip, yellowish eyes and dark purplish-glossed head. Female has rather uniform dull dark brownish plumage with paler lower neck, breast and flanks, squarish head and slight nuchal tuft. Juvenile resembles female but has paler head and upperparts.

Habitat: Lakes, rivers, marshes and various wetland habitats.

Behaviour/Ecology: Seldom flies off when disturbed, preferring to drift out to deeper parts in centre of water body.

Local Status: Vagrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Past records in our database:

Showing only accepted records. Note that records currently under review are also not displayed, and the list may not be a full list of records of this species in Singapore. For more details, check the database here.

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula
Average number of individuals by week based on Singapore Bird Database data, Jul 2013 to Jun 2023 (all records)
Peak week Dec 10-Dec 16
Early date 12 Dec 2020
Late date 26 Dec 1999
Migratory ducks are remarkably hard to come by in Singapore, and don't stay long when they show up. This species is no exception, with only one recent record in Dec 2020.
Tufted Duck (male) at Tokyo Ueno Park. Photo credit: See Toh Yew Wai
Tufted Duck (male) at Tokyo Ueno Park. Photo credit: See Toh Yew Wai
Tufted Duck (female) at Tokyo Imperial Palace. Photo credit: See Toh Yew Wai
Tufted Duck (female) at Tokyo Imperial Palace. Photo credit: See Toh Yew Wai

External Links:

Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page

Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link

Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

eBird Species page: eBird (Tufted Duck)

References:

BirdLife International. (2016). Aythya fuligula. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22680391A86013549.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Jeyarajasingam, A., & Pearson, A. (2012). A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Oxford University Press.

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Tufted Duck. Retrieved on December 7, 2023 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/tufted-duck.

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