Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula, is a species of diving duck found in wetland, unvegetated or sparsely vegetated land, river and lake, marine inlet and transitional water and coastal ecosystems. It is a widespread breeder across much of Europe with patchy distribution in the southern parts. The species breeds in lowland regions and shows a preference for eutrophic waters with open water, islands for breeding and abundant marginal and emergent vegetation. It is common on large, freshwater lakes, ponds, reservoirs, gravel-pits and quiet stretches of wide slow-flowing rivers during this season. During the winter the species frequents large freshwater lakes, reservoirs and sheltered coastal locations such as brackish inland seas brackish lagoons, tidal bays and estuaries (European Red List 2015).

Aythya fuligula has a breeding population size of 181000-293000 pairs and a breeding range size of 1650000 square kilometres in the EU27. The breeding population trend in the EU27 is Decreasing in the short term and Decreasing in the long term. Aythya fuligula has a winter population size of 1030000-1410000 individuals in the EU27. The winter population trend in the EU27 is Decreasing in the short term and Stable in the long term.

The EU population status of Aythya fuligula was assessed as Secure, because the species does not meet any of the IUCN Red List criteria for threatened or Near Threatened, or the criteria for Depleted or Declining (the EU27 population or range has not declined by 20% or more since 1980).