Ruddy Duck
Oxyura jamaicensis
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAnseriformes (Waterfowl)
- FamilyAnatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)
- GenusOxyura (Stiff-tailed Ducks)
- SpeciesOxyura jamaicensis (Ruddy Duck)
About the Ruddy Duck
The ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) is a species of duck, one of six extant species of stiff-tailed duck (genus Oxyura). In the 1940s, the ruddy duck was introduced to the United Kingdom, where it established a population. Outside the Americas, the ruddy duck is considered a highly invasive species, prompting many countries to initiate culling projects to eradicate it from the native ecosystem.
The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek oxus meaning "sharp", and oura meaning "tail". The specific name jamaicensis means "from Jamaica". The ruddy duck has also been nicknamed "butterball", a term used to describe an individual that is somewhat fat, due to its short and stout stature making activities like flying and walking upright awkward.
The ruddy duck was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with the other ducks, geese and swans in the genus Anas and coined the binomial name Anas jamaicensis. Gmelin based his description on the "Jamaica shoveler" that had been described in 1785 by the English ornithologist John Latham from a specimen that he... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Ruddy Duck in Wadden Sea National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Wadden Sea National Park
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Greylag Goose
Anser anser
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadorna
Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsis
Gadwall
Mareca strepera
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligula
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelope
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeata
Common Eider
Somateria mollissima
Common Teal
Anas crecca
Egyptian Goose
Alopochen aegyptiaca
Mute Swan
Cygnus olor
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 4 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 5 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Point Pelee National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 9 | Jaragua National Park | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | |
| 10 | Vatnajokull National Park | 🇮🇸 Iceland | |
| 11 | Cabo Pulmo National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 12 | Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 13 | Wrangell-St. Elias National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | Isle Royale National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 15 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 16 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 17 | Congaree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 18 | Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 19 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Ruddy Duck in Wadden Sea National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Ruddy Duck sighting in Wadden Sea National Park, based on 75 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Ruddy Duck in Wadden Sea National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Ruddy Duck in Wadden Sea National Park in our monthly data.