BREEDING BIRDS: RUDDY DUCK

RUDDY DUCK(Oxyura jamaicensis) Description: Chunky, thick-necked with large head. Has a broad bill and a long tail which is usually cocked up. Males have conspicuous white cheeks. Female’s cheeks are marked by a single dark line. Habitat: Large lakes, shallow bays, salt marshes. Diet: Aquatic insect larvae, snails and vegetation. irries. Displays: Bubbling sound made by males used both in courtship and aggression toward other males. Nest: Builds nest out of surrounding grasses in marsh areas with tall, protective vegetation. Eggs: Creamy white, nest stained. Over two inches long. Breeding bird atlas: To report bird breeding activity in your neighborhood, or to get information on the breeding bird atlas, call Sea and Sage Audubon Society members Sylvia Gallagher, (714) 962-8990, or Nancy Kenyon, (714) 786-3160. Note: Map is divided into 5-kilometer squares so that Audubon Society volunteers can more easily survey areas on a regular basis. Sources: Sea and Sage Audubon Society; “The Birder’s Handbook,” Ehrlich, Dobkin and Wheye, Fireside Books (1988); “Field Guide to the Birds of North America,” National Geographic Society (1987); “Birds of Southern California: Status and Distribution,” Garrett and Dunn, Los Angeles Audubon Society (1981). Indicates 5-kilometer-square areas where breeding activity has been confirmed.