Editing Ferruginous duck (section)

==Habits==
These are gregarious birds, but less social than other ''Aythya'' species but where common it can form large flocks in winter, often mixed with other diving ducks, such as [[tufted duck]]s and [[common pochard]]s.  Form pairs from January onwards and during courtship the male often curls his tail so that it dips into the water forming a triangular white patch of the undertail coverts. In areas where it is common it will form colonies at protected sites such as islands, often in association with gulls.  Where scarce it nests singly, in dispersed and concealed sites.<ref name = BWP/>

Eggs are laid from the end of April or early May in a nest which is sited on the ground close to water, or sometimes a floating nest is built among emergent vegetation.  The eggs are incubated for 25–27 days and the fledging period is 55–60 days.<ref name = BWP/>
 
These birds feed mainly by diving or dabbling. They eat [[aquatic plants]] with some [[molluscs]], [[aquatic insects]] and small fish. They often feed at night, and will upend (dabble) for food as well as the more characteristic diving.<ref name  = BWP/>