Oxyura jamaicensis

(Gmelin, 1789)

Ruddy Duck

G5Secure Found in 85 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1215229
Element CodeABNJB22030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderAnseriformes
FamilyAnatidae
GenusOxyura
Other Common Names
Érismature rousse (FR) Pato Tepalcate (ES) ruddy duck (EN)
Concept Reference
American Ornithological Society (AOS). Chesser, R. T., S. M. Billerman, K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, B. E. Hernández-Baños, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, N. A. Mason, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2021. Sixty-second Supplement to the American Ornithological Society’s Check-list of North American Birds. Ornithology 138:1-18.
Taxonomic Comments
Groups: O. jamaicensis [Ruddy Duck] and O. ferruginea (Eyton, 1838) [Andean Duck]. The two groups were formerly treated as separate species (AOU 1998) based largely on Livezey (1995), who proposed that they were not sister species, although prior to this they were considered conspecific (AOU 1983). Molecular data indicate that jamaicensis, ferruginea, and andina, the latter a population of ferruginea in Colombia sometimes treated as a subspecies, form a tight clade (McCracken and Sorenson 2005). The population andina consists of a wide range of intermediate phenotypic forms (Fjeldså 1986, Donegan et al. 2015) and shows genetic evidence of extensive hybridization between jamaicensis and ferruginea (McCracken and Sorenson 2005, Muñoz-Fuentes et al. 2013) (AOS 2021).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-09
Change Date1996-11-21
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Range Extent Comments
BREEDING: [jamaicensis group] In North America, the northern prairies are the most important breeding areas. Nesting occurs in east-central Alaska (casually), and from central and northeastern British Columbia, southwestern Mackenzie, northern Alberta, northern Saskatchewan, and central Manitoba east across southern Canada to Nova Scotia, south to southern California, central Arizona, southern New Mexico, western and southern Texas, southwestern Louisiana, and northern Florida, with scattered, sporatic, or former breeding in several other areas in U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Breeds also in El Salvador, the West Indies (Bahamas [New Providence], Greater Antilles, and the Lesser Antilles south to Grenada). NON-BREEDING: [jamaicensis group] in North America, winters primarily on the Pacific coast (mainly California, especially the Salton Sea area), secondarily on the Atlantic coast, and with about 20% of the population in the interior of the continent (the majority in Texas and Louisiana, plus a concentration along the Mississippi River between Mississippi and Arkansas). Winters southward from southern British Columbia, Idaho, Colorado, Kansas, and the Great Lakes, and on the Atlantic coast mainly in Chesapeake Bay and south through Pamlico Sound, south throughout the southern U.S. and most of Mexico to Honduras (sight record for Nicaragua), and throughout the Bahamas. Areas in North America where migrants may concentrate include the Klamath Basin in northern California, Minidoka NWR in Idaho, marshes adjacent to the Great Salt Lake, Malheur NWR in Oregon, Carson Sink in Nevada, and the region extending from North Dakota across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and southeastern Michigan to Chesapeake Bay. RESIDENT: [jamaicensis group] in the Antilles and South America. [ferruginea group] in South America in the Andes from Colombia south to western Argentina and southern Chile. Introduced and established in England, where numbers dramatically reduced by control operations, and in western Europe, including France, Spain, and the Netherlands, and in Morocco. Casual in Hawaii, southeastern Alaska, southern Yukon, and Bermuda. (AOU 1983, Sibley and Monroe 1990). See Bellrose (1980) for further details on the breeding and winter distribution in North America.
Threat Impact Comments
Past population declines are attributed to hunting, drought in the breeding range, and drainage of wetland breeding areas.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

A small, chunky, thick-necked duck with a large head, broad bill (blue in breeding male), and long tail that often is cocked upward; male has conspicuous white cheeks, especially when breeding; female and young have a single dark line across the light cheeks; breeding male has bright reddish brown upperparts; nonbreeding males, females, and young are mostly grayish brown; lacks a contrastingly colored speculum (NGS 1983).

Diagnostic Characteristics

Differs from the masked duck in that males have white cheeks instead of black and females have a single dark cheek stripe rather than two cheek stripes on each side; ruddy duck lacks the conspicuous white wing patches (visible in flight) of the masked duck.

Habitat

Marshes, lakes and coastal areas; when not breeding, on sheltered brackish and marine coastal areas as well as lakes and rivers (Temperate Zone) (AOU 1983). Nests on freshwater marshes, sloughs, lakes, and ponds, in areas where open water is bordered by dense aquatic vegetation. Nest is a floating structure of marsh plants hidden by growing plants. Often lays eggs in nests of other waterfowl species. May nest at potholes of less than an acre.

Reproduction

In much of the range, nest initiation extends from May through July. Clutch size averages about 8 in North America. Incubation, by female, lasts about 23-26 days. In some areas, male often accompanies female and brood. Young can fly at about 6-7 weeks (Manitoba). Probably not all yearling females breed. Generally has high nesting success (Bellrose 1980).

In Manitoba, 5 nests may occur on a 4-acre pothole. In Iowa, nesting density may range from 1 nest/5.5 acres to 1 nest/11 acres in different habitat types (see Bellrose 1980).
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLAND
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5B,N5N
ProvinceRankNative
South CarolinaS5NYes
ConnecticutSNAYes
FloridaSNRNYes
MissouriSNRN,SNRMYes
Rhode IslandSNAYes
WashingtonS4B,S3NYes
WyomingS5B,S4NYes
District of ColumbiaS3NYes
ColoradoS4BYes
WisconsinS3B,S4NYes
New MexicoS4B,S5NYes
ArkansasS3B,S4NYes
MarylandS3NYes
IllinoisS2Yes
MaineS1NYes
UtahS4B,S2NYes
NevadaS4B,S4NYes
MinnesotaSNRBYes
IowaS2B,S4NYes
MichiganSNRNYes
NebraskaS4Yes
South DakotaS4BYes
TexasS3B,S5NYes
CaliforniaSNRB,SNRNYes
KansasS1B,S3NYes
LouisianaS5NYes
VirginiaSNRNYes
MassachusettsS1B,S3NYes
New HampshireSNAYes
West VirginiaS3NYes
MississippiSNAYes
MontanaS5BYes
KentuckySNAYes
PennsylvaniaS4N,S3MYes
OklahomaSNRYes
ArizonaS5Yes
North CarolinaS5NYes
New YorkS1Yes
TennesseeS5NYes
OregonS4Yes
Navajo NationS3Yes
VermontSNAYes
New JerseySNRNYes
GeorgiaS5Yes
North DakotaSNRBYes
IdahoS2Yes
AlabamaS4NYes
DelawareS1B,S5NYes
IndianaS1BYes
CanadaN5B,N5N
ProvinceRankNative
OntarioS3B,S4N,S5MYes
Prince Edward IslandS1BYes
Nova ScotiaS1BYes
Yukon TerritoryS3BYes
AlbertaS5BYes
British ColumbiaS5Yes
SaskatchewanS5BYes
QuebecS3BYes
Northwest TerritoriesS5Yes
New BrunswickS1B,S2MYes
ManitobaS5BYes
Roadless Areas (85)
Arizona (4)
AreaForestAcres
Black CrossTonto National Forest5,966
GoldfieldTonto National Forest15,257
PinalenoCoronado National Forest130,920
TumacacoriCoronado National Forest44,594
California (24)
AreaForestAcres
AgnewSequoia National Forest9,561
Bell MeadowStanislaus National Forest7,968
CajonSan Bernardino National Forest7,548
City CreekSan Bernardino National Forest9,997
Deep CreekSan Bernardino National Forest23,869
Devil's Gate (CA)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest9,946
Excelsior (CA)Inyo National Forest45,607
Glass MountainInyo National Forest52,867
Granite PeakSan Bernardino National Forest450
Hall Natural AreaInyo National Forest5,236
Hoover - NorthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest1,574
Iceberg - Mill CreekHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest26,988
JuncalLos Padres National Forest12,289
Kings RiverSierra National Forest52,999
Log Cabin SaddlebagInyo National Forest15,165
Malduce BuckhornLos Padres National Forest14,177
Mt. JacksonHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest20,721
NordhoffLos Padres National Forest12,031
PacksaddleSix Rivers National Forest3,862
Raywood Flat BSan Bernardino National Forest11,373
Sespe - FrazierLos Padres National Forest106,910
Silver HillHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest4,423
Timbered CraterLassen National Forest4,096
White LedgeLos Padres National Forest18,632
Colorado (3)
AreaForestAcres
Bristol HeadRio Grande NF46,087
Dome PeakRoutt NF35,716
Pole Mountain / Finger MesaRio Grande NF43,863
Idaho (4)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekCaribou-Targhee National Forest118,582
Borah PeakSalmon-Challis National Forest130,463
HoodooNez Perce-Clearwater National Forest153,868
PalisadesCaribou-Targhee National Forest122,002
Missouri (1)
AreaForestAcres
Spring Creek Rare II Study AreaMark Twain National Forest4,899
Montana (9)
AreaForestAcres
Bear - Marshall - Scapegoat - SwanLewis and Clark National Forest344,022
Bear - Marshall - Scapegoat - SwanLolo National Forest118,485
Bmss Ra 1485Flathead National Forest334,275
Freezeout MountainBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest97,305
Gallatin FringeGallatin National Forest51,571
Hyalite - Porcupine - Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study AreaGallatin National Forest143,991
MadisonGallatin National Forest127,859
North AbsarokaGallatin National Forest159,075
Selway - Bitterroot (01067)Bitterroot National Forest114,953
Nevada (10)
AreaForestAcres
Antelope - West 1Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest8,642
Bald Mtn.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest41,598
Cave CreekHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest6,145
Duck Creek Mtns.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest12,165
Pearl PeakHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest71,405
Rose - Alum CreekHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest853
Rose - EvansHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest4,782
South SchellHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest125,614
Table Mtn. - EastHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest87,789
Ward MountainHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest15,927
New Mexico (4)
AreaForestAcres
Contiguous To Black & Aldo Leopold WildernessGila National Forest111,883
Contiguous To Gila Wilderness & Primitive AreaGila National Forest79,049
Gila BoxGila National Forest23,759
Meadow CreekGila National Forest34,167
North Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
SheyenneDakota Prairie Grasslands14,537
Oregon (3)
AreaForestAcres
HellholeUmatilla National Forest65,679
Hurricane CreekWallowa-Whitman National Forest1,606
Mt. BaileyUmpqua National Forest18,401
South Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Indian CreekBuffalo Gap National Grassland24,666
Texas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Big CreekNational Forests in Texas1,447
Utah (8)
AreaForestAcres
CottonwoodDixie National Forest6,754
FishhookDixie National Forest12,959
Hog RanchDixie National Forest17,130
HogsbackWasatch-Cache National Forest7,936
Mt. Logan WestWasatch-Cache National Forest5,285
New Home BenchDixie National Forest10,513
Pine Valley MountainsDixie National Forest57,673
WellsvilleWasatch-Cache National Forest1,717
Virginia (3)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Little AlleghanyGeorge Washington National Forest10,215
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
Washington (4)
AreaForestAcres
Abercrombie - HooknoseColville National Forest33,862
Black CanyonOkanogan National Forest9,681
Granite MountainOkanogan National Forest27,428
SawtoothOkanogan National Forest122,194
West Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
Wyoming (4)
AreaForestAcres
Gros Ventre MountainsBridger-Teton National Forest106,418
PalisadesTarghee National Forest1,121
West Slope TetonsTarghee National Forest47,448
Wilderness Study AreaTarghee National Forest51,961
References (24)
  1. American Ornithological Society (AOS). Chesser, R. T., S. M. Billerman, K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, B. E. Hernández-Baños, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, N. A. Mason, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2021. Sixty-second Supplement to the American Ornithological Society’s Check-list of North American Birds. Ornithology 138:1-18.
  2. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1983. Check-list of North American Birds, 6th edition. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas. 877 pp.
  3. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in <i>The Auk</i>]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
  4. Bellrose, F.C. 1976. Ducks, geese and swans of North America. Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, PA.
  5. Bellrose, F. C. 1980. Ducks, geese and swans of North America. 3rd edition. Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 540 pp.
  6. BirdLife International. 2004b. Threatened birds of the world 2004. CD ROM. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK.
  7. Brown, A. C. and N. Collier. 2004. A New Breeding Population of Oxyura jamaicensis (Ruddy Duck) on St. Martin, Lesser Antilles. Caribbean Journal of Science 40:259-263.
  8. Godfrey, W.E. 1966. The birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada. Ottawa. 428 pp.
  9. Harrison, C. 1978. A Field Guide to the Nests, Eggs and Nestlings of North American Birds. Collins, Cleveland, Ohio.
  10. Hilty, S.L. and W. L. Brown. 1986. A Guide to the Birds of Colombia. Princeton University Press, Princeton, USA. 836 pp.
  11. Howell, S. N. G., and S. Webb. 1995. A guide to the birds of Mexico and northern Central America. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
  12. Jaramillo, A. 2003. Birds of Chile. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, USA.
  13. Livezey, B.C. 1995. Phylogeny and comparative ecology of stiff-tailed ducks (Anatidae: Oxyurini). Wilson Bulletin 107:214-234.
  14. Parker III, T. A., D. F. Stotz, and J. W. Fitzpatrick. 1996. Ecological and distributional databases for neotropical birds. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
  15. Peterson, R.T. 1980b. A field guide to the birds of eastern and central North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.
  16. Peterson, R.T. 1990b. A field guide to western birds. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.
  17. Poole, A. F. and F. B. Gill. 1992. The birds of North America. The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. and The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA.
  18. Raffaele, H., J. Wiley, O. Garrido, A. Keith, and J. Raffaele. 1998. A guide to the birds of the West Indies. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 511 pp.
  19. Ridgely, R. S. and P. J. Greenfield. 2001. The birds of Ecuador: Status, distribution, and taxonomy. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, USA.
  20. Root, T. 1988. Atlas of wintering North American birds: An analysis of Christmas Bird Count data. University of Chicago Press. 336 pp.
  21. Sibley, C.G., and B.L. Monroe, Jr. 1990. Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. xxiv + 1111 pp.
  22. Sibley, D. A. 2000a. The Sibley guide to birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
  23. Terres, J. K. 1980. The Audubon Society encyclopedia of North American birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
  24. Woodin, M. C., and G. A. Swanson. 1989. Foods and dietary strategies of prairie-nesting ruddy ducks and redheads. Condor 91:280-287.