# Ruddy Shelduck (*Tadorna ferruginea*) The Ruddy Shelduck is a beautiful bird with bright orange feathers and a cheerful personality. They love to swim in lakes and rivers and can often be seen waddling around on the shore. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Ruddy Shelduck](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ruddy_Shelduck_%28Tadorna_ferruginea%29-_Female_at_Bharatpur_I_IMG_5336.jpg&width=800) Photo: J.M.Garg, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ruddy_Shelduck_%28Tadorna_ferruginea%29-_Female_at_Bharatpur_I_IMG_5336.jpg) ## Appearance The Ruddy Shelduck is a striking waterfowl with a vibrant rusty-orange body and a paler, almost white head. Males have a narrow black neck ring during breeding season, contrasting with their black flight feathers and green speculum, making them visually distinct. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Anseriformes - **Family:** Anatidae - **Genus:** Tadorna ## Interesting facts - A group of Shelducks has many names, like a 'raft' when on water or a 'brace' in flight. - Both Ruddy Shelduck parents fiercely guard their fluffy ducklings, even chasing away big eagles! - Ruddy Shelducks sometimes nest far from water, even in old buildings or tree holes! - They often undertake huge journeys, traveling thousands of miles to find perfect seasonal homes. ## Special abilities - **Mountain Navigator:** Ruddy Shelducks can fly at high altitudes over mountains because of their powerful wings and endurance, helping them reach distant breeding grounds. - **Tunnel Nester:** Ruddy Shelducks often nest in tree holes or burrows because this unique choice provides excellent protection for their eggs and chicks from predators. - **Social Sentinel:** Ruddy Shelducks are highly vocal with loud, honking calls that help them communicate across distances and warn others of danger. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 58-70 cm - **Wingspan:** 110-135 cm - **Weight:** 0.9-1.6 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 65 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 6-12 - **Incubation:** 28-30 days - **Migration Distance:** 3000 km ## Diet & Feeding Ruddy Shelducks are omnivores, munching on plants, seeds, and small water creatures. - **Primary Foods:** aquatic plants, seeds, grains, small insects, crustaceans - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Preys on eggs, chicks, and sometimes adult shelducks. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-eagle) (*Haliaeetus albicilla*) — Known to prey on various waterfowl, including shelducks. - **Eats:** [Common Reed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-reed) (*Phragmites australis*) — Consumes seeds and shoots from this widespread wetland plant. - **Eats:** Midge Larvae (*Chironomus plumosus*) — Forages for these tiny aquatic insect larvae in shallow waters. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch or feed them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Ruddy Shelduck? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Ruddy Shelduck? 58-70 cm ### What is Ruddy Shelduck's wingspan? 110-135 cm ### How much does Ruddy Shelduck weigh? 0.9-1.6 kg ### How long does Ruddy Shelduck live? 10-15 years ### How fast can Ruddy Shelduck move? 65 km/h ### What does Ruddy Shelduck eat? Ruddy Shelducks are omnivores, munching on plants, seeds, and small water creatures. ### Where is Ruddy Shelduck usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Betancuria Rural Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/betancuria-rural-park) — Canarias, ES · Park ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Ruddy Shelduck: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ruddy-shelduck)