Oxyura leucocephala
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
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 |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a White-headed Duck sighting in Istanbul on a given day, based on 49 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 156th most-seen of the 233 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a White-headed Duck in Istanbul on a given day, against under 5% in January to November, the lowest months. That is one of Istanbul's wettest months, with about 90 mm of rain against 25 mm in July.
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.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 cities where we can rate White-headed Duck sightings, Istanbul ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Baku (Azerbaijan, about 10%).
Same family: Anatidae
The closest relatives of the White-headed Duck that you can see in Istanbul (family Anatidae, Ducks, Geese, and Swans) are Mallard (about 30%), Swan Goose (about 10%) and Common Pochard (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 Istanbul (49 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.
