Editing Common pochard (section)

=== Food and feeding ===
Common pochards feed on plant material (including seeds), small fish, [[Mollusc|molluscs]], and other [[Aquatic invertebrate|aquatic invertebrates]].{{sfn|The Wildlife Trusts|2021|ref=The Wildlife Trusts}}{{sfn|RSPB|2021|ref=RSPB}} They feed primarily by diving to retrieve items from under the water's surface; however, they will also upend and dabble at items on the water's surface. They do most of their feeding at night.

They regularly forage in close association with [[Bewick's swan|Bewick's]] and [[Whooper swan|whooper swans]], two species that trample underwater sediment to excavate food. Studies have shown that this behaviour greatly increases the food intake rate of the pochards, as they glean food items that drift away from where the swans are trampling. This rate can be double what it would be if the birds were feeding on their own.{{sfn|Gyimesi|van Lith|Nolet|2012}}