The ferruginous duck is a scarce migratory bird that is seen offshore especially flying through the Comino channel. Small numbers sometimes visit the Għadira and Simar nature reserves.

The ferruginous duck is also known as the white-eyed pochard, while in Maltese it is known as brajmla ħamra or brajmla t’għajnha bajda.

Six ferruginous ducks landed at the Għadira reserve last week and they might remain there for some time as the reserve has the right type of habitat for them.

Ferruginous ducks are found in marshes and lakes with areas of water of about a metre in depth.

They breed in southern and Eastern Europe as well as in southern and western Asia as far as China, India and Pakistan.

The largest European population is found in Romania where this species is common in man-made fish ponds. In autumn, the European population migrates south but does not go further than North Africa.

The Comino channel is an important migratory route and resting place for this threatened species

The European population has declined considerably mainly because the ferruginous duck is very sensitive to habitat changes and has suffered a decline as a result of drainage and pollution of lakes and marshes where it breeds.

The Asian population is larger but it is being found difficult to determine whether numbers are decreasing because populations move from one breeding area to another in response to fluctuations in water depth caused by changes in rainfall from one year to the next.

Studies on bird migration in the Maltese islands have identified the Comino channel as an important migratory route and resting place for this threatened species and calls have been made for this area to be declared an important site for this species.

One day the ferruginous duck might even start breeding in one of the two wetland reserves in Malta, especially if all bird hunting in spring is stopped and if the two reserves are enlarged and more of their preferred habitat is created.

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