Gould related how 'the Casarca rutila...is merely a visitor, and one of the rarest birds classified in our lists, its occurrences being few, and at periods far apart.'

Gould compared this species to the Common Shelduck, it was more goose-like in character, more adapted to land than water, and its bill and legs were black instead of richly coloured.

DISTRIBUTION: Breeds northwest Africa and from the Balkans eastwards across southern Siberia to Mongolia. Mainly resident northwest Africa. Small western Palaearctic population winters mainly Turkey and Egypt; also in Iran and Iraq. In Britain rare vagrant; records are now thought to be escapees or wanderers from the not long established feral populations in nearby Holland