Ruddy Duck Life Cycle: Nest Building To Fledging (and everything in between)
The Ruddy Duck is a controversial species in the world of birds. Native to Central and North America , the Ruddy Duck found its way to the UK in private collections during the late 1940s and 1950s. Many of these birds escaped and started to breed at a rapid rate.
To the point where there were reports of Ruddy Ducks settling in parts of Spain where it was said that they were threatening the rare White-Headed Duck by interbreeding. This led to the British government funding a 3.3 million pound culling program with the support of the RSPB.
By March 2012 the UK’s culling programme killed 6,500 Ruddy Ducks and since 2016 the Ruddy Duck has been included in the European list of Invasive Alien Species of Union Concern. This makes it an offence to import, breed, transport, commercialise or intentionally release Ruddy Ducks into the environment in the whole of the European Union.
However, despite the efforts of the UK government and the European Union, the Ruddy Duck still survives in small pockets of the UK and elsewhere in Europe. In this article we’ll look into the lifecycle of the Ruddy Duck from nest building to fledging. Keep reading to find out more.
Table of Contents
How Long Does A Ruddy Duck Live?
Many Ruddy Ducks die at a very young age but any that do survive to adulthood can often live to around the age of 13. However due to an extensive culling project financed by the UK government and supported by the RSPB, current estimated numbers of Ruddy Ducks in the wild in the UK are around 14 birds.
In all likelihood, the Ruddy Duck is now completely extinct as a breeding bird in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
How Fast Can A Ruddy Duck Fly?
Ruddy Ducks have a top speed of around 45 mph (72 km/h) which is around 20 metres per second. These relatively high flying speeds would explain how the Ruddy Duck managed to fly all the way from the UK to Spain and breed with the White-Headed Duck.
Are Ruddy Ducks Aggressive?
Ruddy Ducks are known to be very aggressive birds especially during the breeding season. They display aggressive actions towards each other and towards any other bird species that ventures too close to their mate, nest, eggs or chicks.
Ruddy Ducks have even been reported to have chased rabbits away from their nesting sites.
What Is A Ruddy Duck’s Habitat?
Ruddy Ducks prefer lowland wetlands with vegetation and areas of open water and tend to avoid areas of fast flowing water. Their breeding habitat is marshy lakes or ponds where they nest in dense marsh vegetation close to water.
During winter they spend their time in coastal bays and ponds and lakes that aren’t frozen.
How Long Does It Take For A Ruddy Duck To Build A Nest?
It will take around 1 to 3 days for the Ruddy Duck to build a nest. The female is the primary nest builder. She uses reeds and other plant materials typically placed in dense vegetation close to the water’s edge hidden from would-be predators.
The nest is typically a platform which becomes bowl-shaped as it develops. She will then usually weave a canopy using vegetation over the nest to offer more protection for the eggs and chicks.
Eggs
Once the female is happy with the nest she has constructed, she will enter the nest and lay her eggs.
When Do Ruddy Ducks Lay Eggs?
Ruddy Ducks tend to lay their eggs later than many other birds typically in late May. Which often means that chicks don’t appear much before July and sometimes as late as September.
How Many Eggs Does A Ruddy Duck Lay?
The female will lay one brood each season with a typical clutch size of 6 to 10 eggs. The number of eggs laid depend on the health and experience of the female as well as favourable climatic conditions.
What Do Ruddy Duck Eggs Look Like?
Ruddy Duck eggs are oval shaped, off white to pale buff in colour and have a rough, granular surface. They are around 62 x46 mm in size and weigh around 73 grams.
How Long Do Ruddy Duck Eggs Take To Hatch?
The eggs are incubated for around 23 to 26 days solely by the female. The male typically abandons the female during the incubation period. He often stays local but in many cases, he might even leave the breeding grounds altogether.
Chicks
After the 23 to 26 day incubation period, the next stage in the life cycle of the Ruddy Duck is the chick stage.
How Many Chicks Does A Ruddy Duck Have?
The number of chicks should correspond to the number of eggs laid in an ideal world. However, the number can vary depending on food availability, predation, environmental factors and parasitism.
It is quite common for other duck species to lay their eggs in Ruddy Duck nests which can have an adverse effect on the Ruddy Ducks own eggs.
It is estimated that around 50 to 70% of Ruddy Duck eggs laid will successfully hatch into ducklings. So from a clutch of 6 eggs the nest should be home to 3 or 4 ducklings.
When Do Ruddy Duck Chicks Open Their Eyes?
Ruddy Duck chicks are precocial which means they hatch with their eyes open and covered in down. They typically leave the nest within 24 hours of hatching.
As soon as they leave the nest, the ducklings can swim and feed themselves but the female stays close to protect her brood.
When Do Ruddy Duck Chicks Fledge?
During their first few weeks, the Ruddy Duck chicks grow stronger and develop their true feathers. They typically take their first flight around 42 to 49 days after hatching.
SEE ALSO: Wheatear Vs Nuthatch: Key Differences Explained
Frequently Asked Questions
The average lifespan of the Ruddy Duck is around 13 years. However, in the UK, where they are considered an invasive species, their lifespan may be shortened due to government-led culling operations.
The eggs of the Ruddy Duck are an off-white or pale buff colour and have a rough, granular surface. They are around 62 x 46 mm in size and weigh around 73 grams.
Ruddy Duck eggs take around 23 to 26 days of incubation before they hatch. They are cared for solely by the female during the incubation period and beyond.
