Birds Of Japan 59:The Tufted Duck 日本の野鳥59:キンクロハジロ

Birds Of Japan 60 The Tufted Duck キンクロハジロ Scientific name: Aythya fuligula The Tufted Duck is a striking diving duck that visits Japan mainly during

Birds Of Japan 60 The Tufted Duck キンクロハジロ

Scientific name: Aythya fuligula

The Tufted Duck is a striking diving duck that visits Japan mainly during the colder months. In Japanese, it is called キンクロハジロ / Kinkuro-hajiro. Its Japanese name refers to its distinctive golden-yellow eyes and dark-colored head.

The male is easy to recognize with its glossy black head, dark back, white sides, bright yellow eyes, and a long tuft of feathers extending from the back of the head. The female is mainly dark brown, with a paler body and yellow eyes, and usually has a shorter and less obvious crest.

In Japan, the Tufted Duck is mainly a winter visitor. Large numbers gather on lakes, reservoirs, rivers, ponds, bays, estuaries, and calm coastal waters. It is a diving duck and regularly disappears underwater while searching for food.

Habitat: Lakes, reservoirs, rivers, ponds, sheltered bays, estuaries, calm coastal waters

Range in Japan: Widespread winter visitor across Japan in suitable freshwater and coastal habitats
Diet: Aquatic plants, seeds, mollusks, insects, crustaceans, and other small aquatic animals
Season: Mainly autumn to spring; most birds leave Japan for northern breeding areas
Size: About 40–47 cm
Nesting: Does not normally breed in Japan; breeds mainly in northern Eurasia
Behavior: Diving duck; often gathers in large flocks and dives repeatedly for food
Conservation: A widespread migratory species; healthy lakes, wetlands, and sheltered coastal waters are important

The Tufted Duck is a beautiful winter visitor to Japan’s lakes, rivers, ponds, and sheltered coastal waters. The male’s glossy black head, white sides, golden-yellow eyes, and elegant head tuft make him especially striking. The darker female is more subtle but shares the characteristic yellow eyes. During winter, flocks of キンクロハジロ gather on calm water and repeatedly dive beneath the surface in search of food, making them one of Japan’s most familiar diving ducks.

Tufted Duck キンクロハジロ

The Tufted Duck is a striking diving duck and a familiar winter visitor to Japan's lakes, ponds, reservoirs, sheltered bays, and other calm waters. The male is easily recognized by its glossy black head and body, bright yellow eyes, white flanks, and distinctive rear head tuft. Females are mainly dark brown, with a smaller crest and less contrasting plumage.

Unlike dabbling ducks, the Tufted Duck dives beneath the surface to find its food. It feeds on aquatic plants, seeds, mollusks, insects, and other small aquatic animals. During winter, flocks can often be seen resting and feeding together on open water. Its bright yellow eyes and elegant black-and-white plumage make it one of Japan's most recognizable winter waterbirds.

IUCN Status

Least Concern

Habitat

Lakes, Ponds, Reservoirs, Sheltered Bays, Rivers, Wetlands

Region

Japan in Winter, Europe, Siberia, Central and East Asia

Behavior

Diving for Food, Flock Swimming, Resting on Open Water, Winter Migration

Population

Widespread and Generally Common

キンクロハジロ Tufted Duck

キンクロハジロは、日本の湖、池、貯水池、内湾などの穏やかな水辺で見られる代表的な冬鳥です。オスは光沢のある黒い頭部と体、鮮やかな黄色い目、白い脇、そして後頭部から伸びる特徴的な冠羽が目立ちます。メスは全体的に濃い褐色で、冠羽は短く、オスよりも落ち着いた色合いをしています。

キンクロハジロは、水面で採食するカモとは異なり、水中へ潜って食べ物を探す潜水ガモです。水草や種子、貝類、昆虫、その他の小さな水生動物などを食べます。冬には群れで湖や池の水面に浮かび、休息したり一緒に採食したりする姿がよく見られます。鮮やかな黄色い目と美しい黒白の羽色は、日本の冬の水辺を代表する印象的な野鳥のひとつです。