Ruddy Duck beak

myminifactory

The ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) is a duck that hails from North America and the Andes Mountains of South America, one of the stiff-tailed ducks. The genus name comes from Ancient Greek oxus, meaning "sharp", and oura, meaning "tail", while jamaicensis refers to Jamaica. These small, compact ducks have stout, scoop-shaped bills and long, stiff tails they often hold cocked upward. They have slightly peaked heads and fairly short, thick necks. Male Ruddy Ducks sport blackish caps that contrast with bright white cheeks. In summer, they don rich chestnut bodies with bright blue bills. In winter, they are dull gray-brown above and paler below with dull gray bills. Females and first-year males are brownish, somewhat like winter males but with a blurry stripe across the pale cheek patch. In flight, Ruddy Ducks show solidly dark tops of their wings. The southern subspecies ferruginea is sometimes considered a distinct species because it has an all-black face and larger size than others. The subspecies andina varies in its black coloration on its white face; some experts think it may be nothing more than a hybrid population between the North American and Andean ruddy duck. As the Colombian population dwindles, it's essential to clarify its taxonomic status for conservation purposes. Ruddy Ducks are migratory birds that winter in coastal bays and unfrozen lakes and ponds. Their breeding habitat is marshy lakes and ponds where they nest in dense marsh vegetation near water. The female builds her nest out of grass, carefully locating it in tall vegetation to keep it hidden from predators. A typical brood contains 5 to 15 ducklings. These birds dive and swim underwater with ease. They mainly eat seeds and roots of aquatic plants, aquatic insects, and crustaceans. To learn more about the Ruddy Duck, click on this link: http://data.nhm.ac.uk/dataset/955c0fd6-2b96-46ed-b6f9-9060100cf825.