Gould commented 'So many instances are on record...of this fine duck in England, that I have no hesitation in...giving it a place...It must, however, be regarded as...an accidental visitor to our islands... it will at once be seen how greatly the two sexes differ in colour and ornamentation, the female having the crest less developed and being devoid of the body-tints which render the male so conspicuous.'

DISTRIBUTION: Breeds locally in Palaeartic from continental Europe and northwest Africa east as far as Turkestan and north China. Winters south to northwest and northeast Africa, India, Burma, south China and Japan. Has nested in small numbers in Britain since 1937 and annually since 1968, but all derived from escapees from captive collections