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Red-crested Pochards are medium-sized diving ducks. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are different. In addition, males have different breeding and eclipse plumage. Male Red-crested Pochards in breeding plumage have a striking rusty-orange cap, brown sides of the head and a black neck and front (only the flanks are white). The underwings are white, while the upperwings are grey, with conspicuous, very broad white bars bordered by a grey fringe at the trailing edge. These white bars show prominently also on the folded wings. The upperparts are brownish-grey, while the rump and uppertail are black. In eclipse the plumage they are brownish-grey all over, except grey lower sides of the head. Male Red-crested Pochards always retain their red irises and the coral-red bill with its lighter nail. Females have a light brownish-grey front, a dark-brown top of the head, brownish-grey upperparts and white lower sides of the head. The bill is dark-grey, with orange fringes. Females have dark-brown irises. The legs and feet of both sexes are orange/grey. Juveniles resemble females, with duller colours and an all-dark bill.

The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org .

The global distribution of the Red-crested Pochard is available HERE .

Red-crested Pochards are a partly sedentary, partly migratory species. Their overall range extends from around the Mediterranean Sea (southern and central Europe; northern Africa), via south-eastern Europe into Asia Minor and western and central Asia. Winter grounds are in the South of their range (primarily the Indian subcontinent), breeding grounds northward of Asia Minor and into the central Asian steppes and plateaus, to the North of the Himalayas.

In Europe Red-crested Pochards are partly sedentary, partly (northward of ca. 46 degrees latitude) migratory. They are resident mostly in Iberia (the southern part of the peninsula and parts of the Mediterranean [near-]coastal strip) and a few wetlands in southern and central France. There are also sedentary populations on all the western Mediterranean islands up to Sardinia and Corsica. Mostly in southern Italy and in Greece migratory Red-crested Pochards overwinter only. Migratory birds breed in lakes and rivers primarily in the Netherlands and in northern Germany and Poland, plus parts of the Danube. Another migratory breeding area is located along the North coasts of both the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, and the area in between. The English population is considered to be comprised of descendants of escapees that are now breeding successfully in the wild.

Red-crested Pochards have a strong preference for well-vegetated wetlands during the breeding season, while at other times of the year they can be found in more open aquatic habitats. They breed around freshwater (lakes, rivers), brackish water (lagoons, saltmarshes) and salt water (protected bays).

M. Thomas reports finding Red-crested Pochards at Hagnau, Lake Constance, Germany, in April 2019.

J. Pires reports spotting Red-crested Pochards in the Tejo estuary, Portugal, in March 2019 and again in June/July 2019, when they were found to be breeding there. More were found on various occasions in 2021.

M. Eaton found Red-crested Pochards in St. James's Park, London, England, in September 2019.

G. Normand spotted a Red-crested Pochard in Saint Denis, 10 km North of Paris, France, in February 2020. Another was found at Lac de Creteil, Paris, France, in February 2021.

H. Dahlem-Senger found a flock of Red-crested Pochards at Unteruhldingen, Lake Constance, Germany, in September 2022.