Oxyura leucocephala
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The white-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala) is a small diving duck some 45 cm (18 in) long. The male has a white head with black crown, a blue bill, and reddish-grey plumage. The female has a dark bill and rather duller colouring. Its breeding habitat is lakes with open water and dense vegetation at the margin. It dives under water and feeds on aquatic vegetation as well as some animal matter. It is more likely to swim away from a perceived threat than to fly. This duck is known from Spain, North Africa, Western Asia and Central Asia. Populations are declining, mostly due to loss of habitat and pollution, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated the bird's status as "endangered".
The white-headed duck was originally described as Anas leucocephala by Giovani Antonio Scopoli in 1769. It is currently in the genus Oxyura. Other generic synonyms used in the past include Erismatura, Cerconectes, Gymnura, Undina, Bythonessa, Plectrura, and Pervicauda. Other junior synonyms for the species include Anas mersa, Anas vindila, Anas ruthenica, and Oxyura unifasciata. Its scientific name comes from the Greek Oxyura (from oxus, "sharp", and oura... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Doñana National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Le Pal | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 2 | Réserve africaine de Sigean | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 3 | Zoobotánico Jerez | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 4 | San Diego Zoo Safari Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Whitcliff Park (Deer Park) | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 6 | Bronx Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Toledo Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Rostock Zoo | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 9 | Novosibirsk Zoo | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 10 | Woodland Park Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Fort Worth Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Wilhelma | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 13 | Centro Cicogne e Anatidi | 🇮🇹 Italy | |
| 14 | London Zoo | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 15 | L'Oceanogràfic | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 16 | Battersea Park Children's Zoo | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 17 | Animal Enclosure | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 18 | Blue Planet Aquarium | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 19 | Golders Hill Park Zoo | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 20 | Cologne Zoo Aquarium | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 21 | Kung Fu Corals | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 22 | Llys Nini | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 23 | Mořský svět | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 24 | ResQue Ranch Inc. | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 25 | Sea Life London Aquarium | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 26 | Take My Pet, Exotic Pet Rescue | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a White-headed Duck sighting in Baku on a given day, based on 21 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 16th most-seen of the 50 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January, April and June–July
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a White-headed Duck in Baku on a given day, against under 5% in November, the lowest month.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most White-headed Duck sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 cities where we can rate White-headed Duck sightings, Baku has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Istanbul (Turkey, under 5%).
Same family: Anatidae
The closest relatives of the White-headed Duck that you can see in Baku (family Anatidae, Ducks, Geese, and Swans) are Common Pochard (about 10%), Tufted Duck (about 10%) and Northern Shoveler (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the White-headed Duck is recorded against all the birds logged in Baku (21 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
