Birdsong field guide
White-headed Duck
Oxyura leucocephala
A small, globally endangered stiff-tailed duck distinguished by the male's striking white head and bulbous, sky-blue breeding bill. It is the only member of its genus native to the Palearctic, characterized by its specialized diving behavior and distinctive upright tail.
What it sounds like
Generally silent, though males produce low, mechanical rattling or clicking sounds and soft 'uk' notes during courtship.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
0:00 / 0:17
Field notes
- The male's bill transforms from a dull grey to a brilliant, swollen sky-blue during the breeding season.
- It faces a major extinction threat from hybridization with the invasive North American Ruddy Duck.
- The species is highly aquatic and rarely travels on land, as its legs are set far back on its body for efficient diving.
- Females lay some of the largest eggs relative to their body size of any duck species, which are often left in 'dump nests'.
- Unlike many other waterfowl, it prefers to sink or dive to escape danger rather than taking flight.
Habitat
Shallow, often brackish or alkaline lowland lakes and lagoons with dense fringes of emergent vegetation like reeds.
Range
Fragmented populations across the Mediterranean, North Africa, and Central Asia, including Spain, Turkey, and Kazakhstan.
Similar & commonly confused birds
Heard a White-headed Duck?
Open Birdsong, tap record, and identify the bird singing near you in seconds — then collect it in your field journal.
Identify a bird by its song