The breeding male is a rich, dark chestnut on the head, breast and flanks with contrasting pure white undertail coverts.

[4] The breeding range of the ferruginous duck is from Iberia and the Maghreb east to western Mongolia, south to Arabia, although in the west is now scarce and localised and locally extirpated in some countries.

The duck winters throughout the Mediterranean Basin and the Black Sea, smaller number migrate into sub-Saharan Africa via the Nile Valley.

[4] The species is threatened by the degradation and destruction of its favoured habitats by anthropogenic causes which are very wide and varied including impoundment, drainage, pollution and mismanagement.

Ferruginous ducks are also threatened by hunting and large numbers are shot on passage in the autumn and in the wintering areas.

[5] Among recent local initiatives it should be mentioned inclusion of the breeding habitats of the species in Armenia into network of Emerald Sites protected by the Bern Convention.