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WetlandPlatform nestLarge · 608 g
ID tip
The ruddy duck is a small, compact duck with a stout, scoop-shaped bill, and a long, stiff tail which it holds cocked upward. It has a slightly peaked head and a fairly short, thick neck. The male ruddy duck has a blackish cap that contrasts with its bright white cheeks. In summer, it has a rich chestnut body with a bright blue bill. In winter, it is a dull gray-brown above and paler below with a dull gray bill. The female and first-year male are brownish, somewhat like the winter male but with a blurry stripe across the pale cheek patch. Voice: Both male and female ruddy ducks are not known to be very vocal most of the year, though they do become more vocal when courting and raising young. Males are known to produce short "aa-anh" calls and other noises in short bursts.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Ruddy Duck
One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 8 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is January, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Ruddy Duck
The map shades 46 countries with regular records, and 8 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
Recorded as a rare visitor in Portugal, Finland, Costa Rica, Peru, Chile, Morocco, South Africa, Cyprus.
About the Ruddy Duck
The ruddy duck is a species of duck, one of six extant species of stiff-tailed duck. In the 1940s, the ruddy duck was introduced to the United Kingdom, where it established a population. Outside the Americas, the ruddy duck is considered a highly invasive species, prompting many countries to initiate culling projects to eradicate it from the native ecosystem.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Blue-billed DuckOxyura australisThe tail feathers for both the male and female are made up of thick, spine-like shafts.
White-headed DuckOxyura leucocephalaAdult males have a grey and reddish body, a blue bill and a largely white head with a black cap and neck.
Lake DuckOxyura vittataThe lake duck grows to 36–46 centimetres (14–18 in).
Side by side: Blue-billed Duck vs Ruddy Duck · Ruddy Duck vs White-headed Duck · Lake Duck vs Ruddy Duck
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