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2

Ruddy Shelduck

(Tadorna ferruginea)
Alternate name(s): "Ruddy Sheldrake", "Brahminy Duck"
German name(s): "Rostgans", "Rostkasarka"

Size: 58-70 cm; wing span 1.1-1.35 m
Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Ruddy Shelduck at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

ADULT

MALE

BREEDING

Lateral view of a resting male Ruddy Shelduck - note the green wing panel (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Group of Ruddy Shelducks on a lake; the two birds with dark neck bands, front right, are males in breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

NON-BREEDING

Two Ruddy Shelducks on a lake; the bird at the front left is a male losing its dark neck band, thus moulting into non-breeding plumage, while the bird at the far right is a female - note the white facial mask (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

FEMALE

Near-frontal view of a female Ruddy Shelduck - note the white facial mask (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Lateral view of a female Ruddy Shelduck (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Sex unknown

Two Ruddy Shelducks resting by a lake, behind two Grey Herons; in the foreground a flock of Red-crested Pochards
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Unteruhldingen, Lake Constance, Germany, September 2022]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Two Ruddy Shelducks on a lake; the bird standing on the left is a male, the bird on the right is probably a juvenile - note the scarcity of white on its head (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Dorsal view of a Ruddy Shelduck - the grey wash on the white of the wings indicates that this bird is a juvenile
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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