The dense whitish down of the new hatchling both traps air to make it more buoyant and serves as an excellent insulator. Generally speaking, ruddies winter in the southeastern U.S. They breed in freshwater marshes and ponds. The population in Chesapeake Bay dropped significantly between 1955 and 1979, probably because of habitat degradation from exotic species invasion and pollution. In migration, they flock to large rivers, ponds, and lakes, and also gather in coastal estuaries, frequently mixing with other diving ducks such as Bufflehead and goldeneyes. They dive underwater to find their prey and avoid predators. (Photo courtesy David Mitchell/Flickr CC BY 2.0), A ruddy duck female. The genus name is derived from Ancient Greek oxus, "sharp", and oura, "tail", and jamaicensis is "from Jamaica". Found in shallow waters on the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers, including marshes. In winter on protected shallow bays and estuaries along coast; also on ice-free lakes and ponds in the interior, including those with little or no marshy border. Breeds on fresh or alkaline lakes and ponds with extensive marshy borders and with areas of open water. Tel: (800) YOUR-BAY (968-7229) They have a difficult time getting air-borne. The incubation period is about 23 days. The North American Breeding Bird Survey, results and analysis 1966-2013 (Version 1.30.15). They forage mostly by diving to the bottom of shallow ponds, straining mouthfuls of mud through thin plates on their bills and swallowing the prey items that are left behind. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, NY, USA. The U.S. Sauer, J. R., J. E. Hines, J. E. Fallon, K. L. Pardieck, Jr. Ziolkowski, D. J. and W. A. Ruddy Ducks usually do not start their migrations to warmer habitats as long as food is available in their breeding areas and there is open water that is ice-free. Ruddy Ducks are protected in North America under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The ruddy duck grows to 16 inches with a wingspan of 23 inches. They can be found throughout the year in the U.S. and Mexico, and during the breeding season in Canada. They spend the winter throughout the southern half of the breeding range, also moving into wintering habitat that spans most of the United States and extends through Mexico to Central America. Ruddy ducks can disappear from sight without diving. (562) 590-3100. Raftovich, R. V., K. A. Wilkins, S. S. Williams and H. L. Spriggs. Breeding occurs in spring and summer in the Prairie Pothole region of the Midwest and southern Canada. Ducklings are preyed upon by Black-crowned Night-Herons, Ring-billed Gulls, California Gulls, mink, and raccoons. They live in the Shorebird Sanctuary exhibit outdoors on the second floor. With wings folded, ruddy ducks are approximately 35 to 43 cm (14 to 17 in) in length. Above, ruddy ducks flock together on deeper, open waters of the Chesapeake Bay at Jonas Green Park in Annapolis, Md., on Feb. 26, 2015. The prairie potholes located in the Great Plains are favored areas. Link. The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds, birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation. Their eggs are proportionally the largest of all waterfowl. The male will swim by her several times with his tail that is usually at a 45° angle raised to 90°. Ruddy Ducks are very aggressive toward each other and toward other species, especially during the breeding season. They are gray/brown with a dark cap, white breasts lightly barred with brown, white bellies, feet that are large, gray, and webbed, and a gray concave bill. Usually silent in winter, courting males produce ticking and clapping sounds by pressing its bill against its breast. They also eat zooplankton, clams, snails, mollusks, brine shrimp, and insects, especially midge larvae. Ruddy ducks are one of the smallest ducks found in the Chesapeake Bay region. Plant material is more common in their diet during migration and winter than during the breeding season.Back to top. Visits the Bay region from autumn through spring, then spends the summer in the Prairie Pothole region of North and South Dakota and southern Canada. They use their long, stiff tail as a rudder to move underwater. Males are easy to recognize because they have blue-colored beaks during the breeding season. Sibley, D. A. Fish and Wildlife Service records about 50,000 Ruddy Ducks shot by hunters each year. The ruddy duck does not breed in the Chesapeake Bay region. Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl(Order: Anseriformes, Family:Anatidae). Privacy Policy, Chesapeake Bay Program They can be identified in flight by their dark wings, white cheeks (on males) and stiff tail. Breeding of these ducks was once confined to the prairie states, but it is now more widespread to Manitoba, Canada and the Great Plains. Females have a horizontal brown streak through their white cheeks and a less heavy bill. They cannot fly during the five weeks of molting because of loss of their flight feathers. Ruddy Ducks are brood parasites or parasitic egg layers. They forage almost exclusively by diving but occasionally will skim the water’s surface of the water, straining food items from it. They are native to North America where they are wide-spread and common. They often lay their eggs in abandoned nests of other birds such as the American Coot, in feeding stations of muskrats, and in active nests of other birds. Like most waterfowl they are ­strong fliers and make the long migration from their northern range in Alaska and Canada to their over-wintering grounds along the U.S. Gulf coasts south to mid Mexico. Laurel: US Fish and Wildlife Service. This species is quite regular on the Oklahoma City Christmas Bird Count (CBC); the last time we did not record them was 1993. Large flocks can be seen floating just off the Bay’s shoreline in winter. (2014). Our ruddy ducks are fed a waterfowl pellet food supplemented with mealworms, bloodworms, krill, mussels, and romaine lettuce. She firmly attaches the nest to growing reeds, often arching the reeds over the nest to conceal it. The North American and South American populations are separate subspecies. Get the latest updates on our work delivered to your inbox. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program), A ruddy duck male displays a bright blue bill during mating season, seen with a female in the foreground. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program), Ruddy ducks take off by running and pattering across the water’s surface. Occasionally they strain food from the surface of the water. U.S. coastlines north to British Columbia, Canada and Massachusetts and inland to Missouri. Terms of Use | Midge larvae form a large part of their diet. They are found in permanent fresh water or alkaline marshes. Its legs are set far back on its body. 100 Aquarium Way, Ruddy Ducks are diving ducks that belong to the family of stiff-tailed ducks, named for their stiff tail that acts like a rudder. Migration usually occurs at night and large flocks of several hundred birds may travel together. When alarmed, ruddy ducks dive underwater rather than flying away. Spends time on freshwater ponds and lakes; frequently found in areas with lots of bay grasses. Underwater grasses, insects, mollusks and crustaceans. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA. The rapid strokes of their small wings produce a whirring sound. Midges are the bulk of their insect diet. The ruddy duck is a small, chubby diving duck that visits the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers, marshes and freshwater lakes from autumn through spring. North American Bird Conservation Initiative. Ruddy Ducks usually weave a canopy of vegetation over their nests. However, they are extremely clumsy on land. Ruddy Duck is not on the 2014 State of the Birds Watch List. They seem to ‘run’ on the water using their broad webbed feet for several yards, always positioning their takeoff against the wind. The ducklings hatch well-developed and active, receiving minimal care from the mother and none from the father. Explore Birds of the World to learn more. Successful mating has resulted in hybrids that, unlike many hybrids, are fully fertile. White to yellowish white, with a pebbly texture. They begin to develop feathers at about two weeks of age and fledge 42 to 49 days after hatching. Males have white cheeks and a black “cap” on their head, while females have a dark, smudge-like line across their cheek. Reproduction begins with an elaborate display by the male in front of the female. US Department of Interior, Washington, DC, USA. He puffs out his chest, bows, and slaps his bill against his chest to produce a drumming sound and to also create bubbles that rise from beneath his chest. Most males pair up with one female each for the duration of the breeding season, but some take multiple mates.

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