Bird of the Week
One of the standout features of this small duck other than the male’s bright blue bill is its long, stiff tail that they usually hold cocked upward. The Ruddy Duck’s genus name is derived from Ancient Greek oxus, meaning “sharp”, and oura meaning “tail”.
Ruddy Ducks breeding habitat is usually marshy lakes and ponds where they nest in dense vegetation near water which helps conceal the nest from predators.
These ducks dive and swim underwater searching for roots and seeds of aquatic plants, aquatic insects and small crustaceans.
The bright colors and odd behavior of male Ruddy Ducks drew the attention of early naturalists who were fascinated by the species. One 1926 account noted, “Its intimate habits, its stupidity, its curious nesting customs and ludicrous courtship performance place it in a niche by itself…. Everything about this bird is interesting to the naturalist.”
One last oddity about this bird is the male’s blue bill. The color does not come from pigment but rather what is called structural coloration. At the start of breeding season, a hormonal change turns the outermost layer of its bill a brilliant sky blue.
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Escapes from wildfowl collections in the late 1950s led to the Ruddy Duck’s becoming established in Great Britain and then spreading into Europe. Males court females by beating their bill against their neck to create an eddy of bubbles in the water. In Europe, the Ruddy Duck is considered an Invasive Alien Species. Fossils of Ruddy Ducks, some near 11,000 years old, have been found in numerous US states. Grebes sometimes attack Ruddy Ducks from below the water. This is known as “submarining.” Ruddy Ducks sleep on the water. It must “run” on the water’s surface to take off. Young leave the nest within one day of hatching. Nests are sometimes built on top of an old muskrat house or a coot’s nest. Ruddy Ducks will often lay eggs in each others’ nests.
Ruddy Duck Fun Facts
