Madagascar Pochard
Aythya innotata
- Family
- Ducks, Swans, and Geese (Anatidae)
- Order
- Anseriformes
Overview
The Madagascar pochard or Madagascan pochard (Aythya innotata; Malagasy: Fotsy maso, Onjo) is an extremely rare diving duck of the genus Aythya. Thought to be extinct in the late 1990s, specimens of the species were rediscovered at Lake Matsaborimena near Bemanevika in Madagascar in 2006. By 2017, a captive breeding program had produced a population of around 90 individuals. The birds were reintroduced to the wild in December 2018.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Lac Alaotra and Lac Matsaborimena (north-central and northwestern Madagascar, respectively); thought extinct until rediscovered at Lac Matsaborimena in 2006.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Continents
Countries
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Madagascar pochard
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
