Ruddy Duck
Oxyura jamaicensis
The ruddy duck is a small, chubby diving duck that visits the Chesapeake Bay and its ponds, lakes, rivers and marshes from autumn through spring.
Appearance:
- Males are dull brown in autumn and turn grayish-brown like females in winter
- Large head with a wide gray bill
- Short, thick neck
- Long, stiff tail that is often held straight up in the air
- Legs set far back on the body
- Males have white cheeks and a black “cap” on the head
- Females have a dark smudge-like line across the cheek
- In summer (when ruddy ducks are not found in the Chesapeake Bay region), males have a chestnut body and a blue bill
- Grows to 16 inches with a wingspan of 23 inches
Habitat:
- Found in shallow tidal portions of the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers, including marshes
- Also spends time on freshwater ponds and lakes
- Frequently found in areas with lots of bay grasses
- Large flocks can be seen floating just off the Bay’s shoreline in winter
Range:
- Visits the Chesapeake Bay region from autumn through spring
- Spends the summer in the Prairie Pothole region of North and South Dakota and southern Canada
Feeding:
- Eats insects, crustaceans and underwater plants
- Dives for its prey
Predators:
- Adults may be preyed upon by minks, hawks, owls and red foxes
- Humans hunt ruddy ducks
Flight:
- Takes off by running and pattering across the water’s surface
- Beats its wings very rapidly while flying
- Can be identified in flight by its dark wings, white cheeks (on males) and stiff tail
Voice:
- Usually silent in winter
- Breeding males have several calls used to attract a male
Reproduction and Life Cycle:
- Does not breed in the Chesapeake Bay region
- Breeds in spring and summer in the Prairie Pothole region of the Midwest and southern Canada
- To attract a mate, males go through an extravagant courtship ritual that includes swimming around a female, slapping his chest with his bill, making several calls, and running across the water’s surface
- After forming pairs, the female builds a nest of cattails and bulrush on the ground near the water
- The female lays 6-10 large white eggs and incubates them for 23-26 days
- Within one day of hatching, young are able to dive underwater and defend themselves
- The female abandons her young after 20-30 days
- Can live as long as 13 years, but rarely lives longer than 2-3 years
Other Facts:
- One of the smallest ducks found in the Chesapeake Bay region
- When alarmed, ruddy ducks dive underwater rather than flying away
- Ruddy ducks are excellent swimmers that use their long, stiff tail as a rudder to move underwater. However, they are extremely clumsy on land.
- Even though they are small, ruddy ducks lay some of the largest eggs of any duck in the world
Additional Information: