ruddy duck

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English

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Wikispecies

Etymology

From ruddy (reddish) + duck, referring to the rust-coloured body of the male.

Noun

ruddy duck (plural ruddy ducks)

  1. Oxyura jamaicensis, a small stifftail duck, the male of which has a rust-coloured body.
    • 2004, Laurie E. Likoff, The Encyclopedia of Birds, Volume 1, page 802,
      Except when migrating, the ruddy duck seldom flies. [] If disturbed by a predator, the ruddy duck dives to escape.
    • 2008, Roslyn M. Frank, Body, Language, and Mind: Sociocultural situatedness, Volume 2, page 170,
      Since hybridization with the ruddy duck could lead to extinction of the white-headed duck, Spain began to kill its ruddy ducks. Trials to eliminate ruddy ducks from the U.K. began in 1999, and were overseen by a euphemistically named White-headed Duck Task Force.
    • 2010, Jacky Turner, Animal Breeding, Welfare and Society, unnumbered page,
      The decision was taken, supported by conservation organizations, that it was necessary to save the white-headed duck species by exterminating all members of the ruddy duck species in Europe, which meant mainly in the UK, where there were an estimated 6000 ruddy ducks in 2000.

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