Ruddy Duck

Birds / Waterbirds

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The Ruddy Duck is a compact diving duck with a broad bill and a stiff tail that it often holds at an angle. Breeding males have chestnut bodies, white cheeks, and bright blue bills; females and winter birds are more subdued. It dives for aquatic invertebrates and other food in wetlands and sheltered waters. Courtship includes a distinctive display in which the male beats its bill against its inflated neck, producing a patch of bubbles on the surface.

Reference: Cornell Lab of Ornithology: All About Birds