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Ruddy Duck Photos

Photography by Terry Sohl

My Favorite: My favorite Ruddy Duck definitely isn't the sharpest or most technically perfect photo I have of the species! But when I think of Ruddy Ducks I think of...personality!  They're such cool little ducks! And one of the coolest things about them is the male's courtship behavior, where he 1) sticks his stiff little tail straight up in the air, 2) puts his bill against his chest, and 2) vibrates his chest and slaps his bill on his chest, producing a nice set of frothy bubbles. And to follow it up, it all ends with a lovely squawky "belch"!  That's what this guy is doing, and why there's the motion blur of his bill and head. From Hyde County, South Dakota on July 5th, 2020.

Ruddy Duck - Oxyura jamaicensis

Ruddy Duck 1 -  Oxyura jamaicensis

Ruddy Duck 2 - Oxyura jamaicensis

Ruddy Duck 3 - Oxyura jamaicensis

Ruddy Duck 4 - Oxyura jamaicensis

Ruddy Duck 1

Ruddy Duck 2

Ruddy Duck 3

Ruddy Duck 4

March 27th, 2007 

March 25th, 2007 

March 25th, 2007 

October 15th, 2006 

Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota

Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota 

Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota 

Kingsbury County, South Dakota 

Profile of male in prime breeding plumage 

Profile of a female Ruddy Duck 

Ruddy Duck female looking towards the camera 

Winter-plumaged male on a sunny day 

Ruddy Duck 5 - Oxyura jamaicensis

Ruddy Duck 6 - Oxyura jamaicensis 

Ruddy Duck 7 - Oxyura jamaicensis 

Ruddy Duck 8 - Oxyura jamaicensis 

Ruddy Duck 5

Ruddy Duck 6

Ruddy Duck 7

Ruddy Duck 8

March 22nd, 2007 

March 25th, 2007 

March 25th, 2007 

March 25th, 2007 

Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota 

Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota 

Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota 

Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota 

Side view of adult breeding-plumaged male in the sun 

Breeding-plumaged male with great look at the stiff upright tail 

Quartering view of a male Ruddy Duck in breeding plumage 

Side view of a male Ruddy Duck on a cloudy day 

Ruddy Duck 9 - Oxyura jamaicensis 

Ruddy Duck 10 - Oxyura jamaicensis 

Ruddy Duck 11 - Oxyura jamaicensis 

Ruddy Duck 12 - Oxyura jamaicensis 

Ruddy Duck 9

Ruddy Duck 10

Ruddy Duck 11

Ruddy Duck 12

March 25th, 2007 

July 5th, 2020 

July 5th, 2020 

July 5th, 2020 

Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota 

Hyde County, South Dakota 

Hyde County, South Dakota 

Hyde County, South Dakota 

Male doing its vibrating, bubble-producing display

Close view of male Ruddy Duck calling and producing bubbles 

Side view of male Ruddy Duck in breeding plumage on sunny afternoon

Head-on closeup of Ruddy Duck in vertical 

Ruddy Duck 13 - Oxyura jamaicensis 

Ruddy Duck 14 - Oxyura jamaicensis 

Ruddy Duck 15 - Oxyura jamaicensis

 

Ruddy Duck 13

Ruddy Duck 14

Ruddy Duck 15

 

March 29th, 2020 

April 19th, 2019 

November 9th, 2019 

 

Lincoln County, South Dakota 

Lake County, South Dakota 

Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota

 

Profile of Ruddy Duck male on choppy waters

Richly colored plumage of male Ruddy Duck 

Immature / First-year Ruddy Duck profile 

 

Click here for the species description page for the Ruddy Duck

All photos copyrighted!  Click for information on commerical usage, or usage for other personal purposes.

Nature Photography - Done Naturally - Click for info

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Please mail any comments/suggestions/additional links for this page to: Terry L. Sohl