Ruddy Duck
Oxyura jamaicensis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderAnseriformes
- FamilyAnatidae (Anàtids)
- GenusOxyura (Stiff-tailed Ducks)
- SpeciesOxyura jamaicensis (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. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Ruddy Duck sighting in Bahía de Loreto National Park, based on 90 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Bahía de Loreto National Park
Redhead
Aythya americana
Blue-winged Teal
Spatula discors
Cinnamon Teal
Spatula cyanoptera
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeata
Canvasback
Aythya valisineria
Lesser Scaup
Aythya affinis
Common Teal
Anas crecca
American Wigeon
Mareca americana
Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifrons
Cackling Goose
Branta hutchinsii
Muscovy Duck
Cairina moschata
Snow Goose
Anser caerulescens
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Ruddy Duck in Bahía de Loreto National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Ruddy Duck sighting in Bahía de Loreto National Park, based on 90 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Ruddy Duck in Bahía de Loreto National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Ruddy Duck in Bahía de Loreto National Park in our monthly data.