撰文、攝影 / 李潛龍
英文指導 / 徐珍琇 Jean Watanabe
鳳頭潛鴨又稱澤鳧，他們喜歡比較清澈的深水環境，常於內陸的河流、池塘和其他開闊水面呈現大群落活動。雄性鳳頭潛鴨的頭頸部黑色，並具有紫色的金屬光澤，最具特徵的是它的頭頂有一根略長而下垂的「小辮子」，這就是所謂的鳳頭，參考自維基百科。
The tufted duck, also known as the tufted pochard, prefers relatively clear deep-water environments and is often found in large flocks in inland rivers, ponds, and other open water bodies. The male tufted duck has a black head and neck with a metallic purple sheen. Its most distinctive feature is a slightly long, drooping “tuft” on the top of its head, that gives the bird its name. This information is referenced from Wikipedia.
桃園的地勢較高，因此灌溉的水源除了石門水庫之外，多仰賴大小不一的埤塘，這些埤塘分布在桃園台地上，由飛機上俯瞰就像是千百面的小鏡子。現今大多數的埤塘已經不再擔負灌溉功能，有些出租作為魚類養殖用，有些則成為野生動物棲息的天堂，尤其是在冬季，大面積的開闊水域吸引了雁鴨前來度冬，其中以鳳頭潛鴨的數量最多。
Taoyuan has a relatively high terrain, that relies on the Shimen Reservoir for irrigation, as well as many ponds of various sizes. These ponds are scattered across the Taoyuan Plateau when viewed from an airplane, they resemble hundreds of tiny mirrors. Today, most of these ponds no longer serve their original irrigation purpose; some are leased for fish farming, while others have become havens for wildlife. In particular, during winter, the vast open water areas attract migratory ducks and geese, with tufted ducks being the most numerous.
我曾經觀察到的澤鳧數量最多的就是在蘆竹的一個埤塘，牠們會與其他雁鴨如赤頸鴨一起混棲，數量多時有數百隻。吸引牠們來此的除了寬廣水域之外，還有投擲養魚飼料的餵食器，形成牠們群聚爭食的有趣場面。
The highest number of tufted ducks I have ever observed was at a pond in Luzhu. They coexisted with other migratory ducks, such as Eurasian wigeons. At times, the number of tufted ducks reached several hundred. What attracted them to this location was not only the expansive surface of water but also the fish-feeding dispensers. The scattering of feed into the water created a fascinating scene of ducks gathering and competing for food.
雌雄鳥的區別在於腹部的乳白色，雄鳥腹部黑白分明，雌鳥則為深黑色。另外雌鳥的嘴基部有一塊白斑，與斑背潛鴨相似但較小可資區別。
The difference between male and female birds lies in the whitish belly. The male has a sharply contrasting black-and-white belly, while the female’s is dark black. Additionally, the female has a white patch at the base of the bill that is similar but smaller than the greater scaup, which helps in distinguishing the two species.
