Harteman Wildfowl - White-headed duck

White-headed duck

Left: male. Right: female. Photos © J. Harteman

Oxyura leucocephala
Dutch: Witkopeend / Witkop stekelstaarteend
German: Weißkopfruderente
French: Erismature à tête blanche

Ringsize: 10mm

White-headed Duck downlist to Vulnerable?
2005 - From the Globally Threatened Bird Forums @ BirdLife.org
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala is currently classified as Endangered (A2b,c,d,e) because the global population is estimated to have declined by c.60% over the last ten years. These declines are based largely on mid-winter counts in Turkey. New information from BirdLife International (2004) reveals that these were simply large fluctuations in numbers rather than declines. In the absence of a decline in the wintering areas, there is no reason to assume a decline in the breeding areas of south-west Asia. The population breeding in the east Mediterranean and in south-west Asia up to north-west China forms the majority of the global breeding (75-95%), but trends are not known. The small European breeding population (550-1,400 pairs) underwent a moderate increase during 1990-2000, despite declines in the small Turkish population. To be retained as Endangered, declines of >50% in the last ten years would have to be inferred or estimated for the central Asian population. Can this be justified? What were trends in the Middle Eastern and Indian Subcontinent wintering areas during the period? Comment and relevant information would be welcome.
BirdLife International (2004) Birds in Europe: population estimates, trends and conservation status. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International (Conservation Series No. 12).