North American Ruddy Duck
Oxyura jamaicensis
Description: Ruddy ducks are 14 to 16 inches long. They are small and stocky, and have a long tail. Breeding males are rusty colored, and have a black head. Their cheeks are white, and they have a bright blue bill. The female and winter male are dull brown with dark heads, the cheeks are pale, and they are crossed by a dark line on the female.
General Information: The eggs of ruddy ducks are twice as big as those of the mallard. Ruddy ducks feature nest parasatism. They lay their eggs in the nests of other ruddy ducks, and thus, do not have to raise their own young.
Habitat: Marshes and weedy ponds.
Range: Inhabit most of the United States.
Reproduction: The nest is a floating mass of stems and leaves, and is anchored to marsh vegetation. 5 to 17 white or cream-colored eggs are laid. Incubation lasts approximately 24 days, and is done by the female only. The young leave the nest soon after hatching, and first fly at 6 to 7 weeks. Ruddy ducks sometimes have 2 broods per season.
Diet:
In the Wild: Seeds and foliage of aquatic plants, insects, and snails.
At the Zoo: Wild bird seed, romaine lettuce, catfish chow, silversides.
Interesting Facts: Ruddy ducks have long, stiff tails, used in the courtship displays.