The Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) is a North American stiff-tailed duck that occupies marshy lakes and ponds; in the winter they migrate to coastal bays and unfrozen lakes and ponds. They are small and compactly built with stout, scoop-shaped bills, and long stiff-tails turned upwards. Adult males have a rich chestnut color and a bright blue bill, and in the winter they have a gray-brown coloration with a dull gray bill. Adult females are similar in appearance to winter males but with a blurry stripe across the pale check patch. Their diet consists of crustaceans, aquatic insects, and seeds and roots of aquatic plants.
The Ruddy Duck has a wingspan in the range of 22”-25” (56-64 cm) and total weight of .8-1.8 lb (.35-.8 kg). The body of the Ruddy Duck has an overall length between 13.4”-16.9” (34-43 cm), body width of 3.7”-5.1” (9.5-13 cm), and standing height of roughly 7.9”-10” (20-25.5 cm). The typical lifespan of the Ruddy Duck is between 13-20 years.
The Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) is a North American stiff-tailed duck that occupies marshy lakes and ponds; in the winter they migrate to coastal bays and unfrozen lakes and ponds. They are small and compactly built with stout, scoop-shaped bills, and long stiff-tails turned upwards. Adult males have a rich chestnut color and a bright blue bill, and in the winter they have a gray-brown coloration with a dull gray bill. Adult females are similar in appearance to winter males but with a blurry stripe across the pale check patch. Their diet consists of crustaceans, aquatic insects, and seeds and roots of aquatic plants.
The Ruddy Duck has a wingspan in the range of 22”-25” (56-64 cm) and total weight of .8-1.8 lb (.35-.8 kg). The body of the Ruddy Duck has an overall length between 13.4”-16.9” (34-43 cm), body width of 3.7”-5.1” (9.5-13 cm), and standing height of roughly 7.9”-10” (20-25.5 cm). The typical lifespan of the Ruddy Duck is between 13-20 years.
