Stiff-tailed Ducks

The stiff-tailed ducks are part of the Oxyurinae subfamily of ducks.

Description

All have, as their name implies, long stiff tail feathers, which are erected when the bird is at rest. All have relatively large swollen bills.

These are freshwater diving ducks. Their legs are set far back, making them awkward on land, so they rarely leave the water.

Argentine Blue-bill or Argentine Lake Duck or Argentine Ruddy duck (Oxyura vittata)

Their unusual displays involve drumming noises from inflatable throat-sacs, head throwing, and erecting short crests.

Plumage sequences are complicated, and aging is difficult.

Male Argentine Blue-bill Duck

Maccoa Duck (Oxyura maccoa)

Ruddy Duck, Oxyura jamaicensis - Male

Species

A fossil species from the Late Pliocene or Early Pleistocene of Jalisco (Mexico) was described as Oxyura zapatanima. It resembled a small Ruddy Duck or, even more, Argentine Blue-bill.

A larger Middle Pleistocene fossil form from the southwestern USA was described as Oxyura bessomi; it was probably quite close to the Ruddy Duck.

“Oxura” doksana from the Early Miocene of Dolnice (Czech Republic) cannot be assigned to any anatine subfamily with certainty.

Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)

References

  • Worthy, Trevor H.; Tennyson, A.J.D.; Jones, C.; McNamara, J.A. and Douglas, B.J. (2007): Miocene waterfowl and other birds from central Otago, New Zealand. J. Syst. Palaeontol. 5(1): 1-39. doi:10.1017/S1477201906001957 (HTML abstract)

More Duck Resources

Ruddy Duck, Oxyura jamaicensis - Male
Blue-billed Duck (Oxyura australis) - Male

Musk Duck

Diet / Feeding:

Ducks generally feed on larvae and pupae usually found under rocks, aquatic animals, plant material, seeds, small fish, snails and crabs.

Feeding Ducks …

We all enjoy ducks and many of us offer them food to encourage them to come over and stay around – and it works! Who doesn’t like an easy meal!

However, the foods that we traditionally feed them at local ponds are utterly unsuitable for them and are likely to cause health problems down the road. Also, there may be local laws against feeding this species of bird – so it’s best to check on that rather than facing consequences at a later stage.

Please note that feeding ducks and geese makes them dependent on humans for food, which can result in starvation and possibly death when those feedings stop. If you decide to feed them, please limit the quantity to make sure that they maintain their natural ability to forage for food themselves – providing, of course, that natural food sources are available.

Male White-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Gordon Ramel

Gordon is an ecologist with two degrees from Exeter University. He's also a teacher, a poet and the owner of 1,152 books. Oh - and he wrote this website.

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