Oxyura jamaicensis

• Overview
• Interesting Facts
• Common Names
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Overview

Interesting Facts

Common Names

Click on the language to view common names.

Description

Physical Description

Habitat

Marshes, lakes and coastal areas; when not breeding, on sheltered brackish and marine coastal areas as well as lakes and rivers (Temperate Zone). Nests on freshwater marshes, sloughs , lakes, and ponds , in areas where open water is bordered by dense aquatic vegetation. Nest is a floating structure of marsh plants hidden by growing plants. Often lays eggs in nests of other waterfowl species. May nest at potholes of less than an acre (InfoNatura, 2004).

Vegetation: freshwater lakes and ponds • Maximum Elevation: 2,200 meters • Foraging Strata: Water • Center of Abundance: Lower tropical: lowlands, lower than 500 m.; tropics. • Sensitivity to Disturbance: Medium

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 4,701 meters (0 to 15,423 feet).[1]

Ecology: The species is partly migratory; North American breeders tend to depart from breeding grounds to winter further south or near the coast, whereas other populations are sedentary or make only short-distance movements. Freshwater swamps , lakes , pools , and marshes with emergent vegetation and open water are preferred breeding habitats , although outside the breeding season the species can also be found on larger lakes, brackish lagoons and estuaries (Carboneras 1992).[2].

List of Habitats:

•     5     Wetlands (inland)   
  
•     5.4     Wetlands (inland) - Bogs , Marshes, Swamps, Fens , Peatlands   
  
•     5.5     Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha)   
  
•     5.7     Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha)   
  
•     5.14     Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes   
  
•     9     Marine Neritic   
  
•     9.10     Marine Neritic - Estuaries   
  
•     13     Marine Coastal/Supratidal   
  
•     13.4     Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes   
[more info]

Biology

Diet

Mostly: Green Plant Matter Seeds. Lesser Quantities of: Aquatic Invertebrates .

Reproduction

Seasonal - from April to August. Timing of breeding controlled by physiological readiness modified by food availability, stability of water levels and available nesting cover . Egg-laying season aligned symmetrically either side of longest day. May dump eggs and forego breeding if conditions unsuitable. Breeding strategy mixture of monogamy, polygyny and promiscuity .2-3 young per female per year. Can relay up to 4 times per season if eggs lost. Usually only one brood per year, but can double brood.

Produces large eggs to maximise survival of large nidifugous young. Also lays eggs in the nests of other waterbirds. Breed first at one year old. Young creche after females desert chicks at only half grown. Arrive on breeding grounds in April, nest building mainly in May, incubation in June, most broods hatch in July. Birds leave breeding areas in August/September. In USA, age composition in autumn estimated at 1:1 adults :juveniles. Sex ratio male biased (c1 .1-1-2 males per female in late winter). Survival rates unknown, but simulation modelling for UK population assuming adult male, adult female and juvenile survival rates of 0.8, 0.7 and 0.6, respectively, produced observed population trend. Maximum lifespan of wild ringed individuals in USA 13 years, but most reported dead less than 2 years after ringing (US Dept. Interior unpubl. data ); 18 captive birds had mean lifespan of 2.4 years.

• Clutch Size: 5-15
• Length of Incubation: 23-26 days
• Days to Fledge : 42-48
• Number of Broods: 1, 2 in south
• Breeding Habitat: Wetland-open water

Migration

Migratory

Taxonomy

Synonyms

Oxyura jamaicensis (Gmelin, 1789) • Oxyura jamaicensis (J. F. Gmelin, 1789)

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name .

Last scrutiny: 23-Jan-2007

Similar Species

Masked Duck, Cinnamon Teal

Members of the genus Oxyura

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 11 species and subspecies in this genus:

O. australis (Australian Blue-Billed Duck) · O. dominica (St. Domingo Duck) · O. ferruginea (Andean Duck) · O. ferruginea ferruginea (Andean Duck) · O. jamaicensis (North American Ruddy Duck) · O. jamaicensis andina (Colombian Ruddy Duck) · O. jamaicensis jamaicensis (North American Ruddy Duck) · O. jamaicensis rubida (Ruddy Duck) · O. leucocephala (White-Headed Duck) · O. maccoa (Maccoa Duck) · O. vittata (Lack Duck)

More Info

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Further Reading

• A Directory of Neotropical Wetlands. IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre url p. 362, p. 363, p. 365, p. 366, p. 375, p. 376, p. 377, p. 378, p. 390, p. 438, p. 491, p. 504, p. 510, p. 524, p. 530, p. 540, p. 564, p. 565, p. 567, p. 569, p. 599, p. 605, p. 676.
• An ecological characterization of Coastal Maine (north and east of Cape Elizabeth) / Stewart I. Fefer and Patricia S. Schettig: principal investigators. Newton Corner, Mass.: Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Northeast Region, 1980. url .
• Analysis and Synthesis of National Reports. Prepared by UNEP and CMS Secretariat CMS url p. 4.
• Birds in Kansas / Max C. Thompson & Charles Ely. 1 Lawrence, Kan.: University of Kansas, Museum of Natural History: c1989- url p. 122, p. 401, p. xi.
• Birds of the Chukchi Peninsula and Wrangel Island = (Ptitsy Chukotskogo poluostrova i ostrova Vrangelya) / L.A. Portenko; translated from Russian [by P.M. Rao]. New Delhi: Published for the Smithsonian Institution and the National Science Foundation, Washington, D.C., by Amerind Pub. Co., 1981- url p. 349.
• Brigham Young University science bulletin. 9 1967 Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University, [1955-1976] url p. 21, p. 46, p. 6.
• Bulletin / Illinois Natural History Survey. Urbana, State of Illinois, Dept. of Registration and Education, Natural History Survey Division, 1918-1985. url p. 322.
• Bulletin / Peabody Museum of Natural History. 1972 New Haven: Peabody Museum of Natural History, url fig. 12, p. 340.
• Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College. 70 1930 Cambridge, Mass.: The Museum, 1863- url p. 184, p. 184, p. 4, p. 650.
• Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences Los Angeles, Calif.: The Academy, 1971- url p. 100.
• California fish and game. [San Francisco, etc.]: State of California, Resources Agency, Dept. of Fish and Game. url p. 10, p. 12, p. 133, p. 159, p. 191, p. 21, p. 221, p. 244, p. 255, p. 285, p. 293, p. 320, p. 69, p. 88.
• Catalogue of birds of the Americas and the adjacent islands in Field Museum of Natural History. Charles E. Hellmayr, Boardman Conover. 13 1948 Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History, 1948. url p. 400, p. 401.
• Check-list of North American birds. [Ithaca, N.Y.]1957. url p. 683.
• Check-list of North American birds: the species of birds of North America from the Arctic through Panama, including the West Indies and Hawaiian Islands / prepared by the Committee on Classification and Nomenclature of the American Orni Lawrence, Kan.: American Ornithologists' Union, 1983. url p. 800, p. 97.
• Check-list of birds of the world. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1931-1987. url p. 502.
• Conservation of marine birds of northern North America: papers from the international symposium held at the Seattle Hyatt House, Seattle, Washington, 13-15 May 1975 / edited by James C. Bartonek and David N. Nettleship; sponsored by Natural Resources Council of America. .. [et al.]. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, 1979. url p. 252.
• Directory of Wetlands of International Importance. IUCN url p. 103, p. 105, p. 729, p. 773.
• Distribution and abundance of fishes and invertebrates in Gulf of Mexico estuaries / project team, David M. Nelson (editor). .. [et al.]. Rockville, Md.: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, [1992]-[1997] url p. 35.
• Exposure of marine birds to environmental pollutants / by Harry M. Ohlendorf, Robert W. Risebrough, Kees Vermeer. Washington: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, 1978. url .
• FWS/0BS. [Washington]Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Dept. of the Interior. url , , , , p. 11, p. 127, p. 135, p. 52.
• Fish, wildlife and recreational values of Michigan's coastal wetlands / Twin Cities, Minn.: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region III, 1978. url p. 191.
• Fishery circular / U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Fisheries. [Washington]: The Bureau, 1931-1939. url p. 51.
• Great Basin naturalist memoirs. 1976 [Provo, Utah]Brigham Young University, 1976-1992. url p. 225.
• IUCN Directory of Neotropical Protected Areas IUCN url p. 133, p. 144.
• Illinois River Bluffs area assessment / Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Scientific Research and Analysis, [and the] State Geological Survey Division. Springfield, Ill.: Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources, 1998- url p. 72.
• Journal of ethnobiology. 12-13 1992-1993 Flagstaff, Ariz.: Center for Western Studies, 1981- url p. 93.
• Man's effect on the fish and wildlife of the Illinois River / [by] Harlow B. Mills, William C. Starrett [and] Frank C. Bellrose. [Urbana]1966. url p. 19.
• Memoirs of the San Diego Society of Natural History. 13 1984 San Diego, Calif.: The Society, 1931-1989. url p. 272, map 12, page 63, p. xv.
• Middle Missouri River wildlife study: Federal aid to fish & wildlife restoration project FW-3-R, jobs 1-B & 1-C / prepared by Kerry Constan & Dan Hook (Ecological Services Division). [Helena]: Montana Dept. of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, [1981] url p. 95.
• Miscellaneous publication - University of Kansas, Museum of Natural History. 1960 Lawrence: University of Kansas, 1946-1996. url p. 1, p. 15, p. 15.
• North American fauna. Washington: Fish and Wildlife Service; for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U. S. Govt. Print. Off. url p. 100, p. 28, p. 396, p. 49.
• Ornithological gazetteer of Colombia / Raymond A. Paynter, Jr. Cambridge, Mass.: Bird Dept., Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, 1997. url p. 481.
• Our living resources: a report to the nation on the distribution, abundance, and health of U.S. plants, animals, and ecosystems / [edited by], Edward T. LaRoe. .. [et al.]. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, National Biological Service, 1995. url p. 299, p. 495.
• P.D. Skaar's Montana bird distribution / revised by the Montana Bird Distribution Committee. [Helena, MT]:Montana Natural Heritage Program, 1996 url p. 28.
• Pesticides monitoring journal. [Washington, D.C.: For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O., 1967-1981. url p. 155, p. 97.
• Potential wildlife-highway interactions at select mile-markers along Montana Department of Transportation routes an ArcView GIS analysis / Bozeman, Mont.: Fish and Wildlife Management Program, Montana State University, 2001 url .
• Proposed estuarine sanctuary grant award to the state of New York for a Hudson River estuarine sanctuary. Albany, N.Y.: New York, Dept. of Environmental Conservation, [1982] url p. 121.
• Publications in zoology = Publications en zoologie. Ottawa: National Museums of Canada, National Museum of Natural Sciences, 1970-1982. url p. 48.
• Rapid assessment of water quality using the fingernail clam, Musculium transversum: final report / by Kevin B. Anderson and Richard E. Sparks (Illinois Natural History Survey, River Research Laboratory) and Anthony A. Paparo (School of Medicine and Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois Universit Urbana: University of Illinois, Water Resources Center, 1978. url p. 4.
• Review of the status and conservation actions for CMS concerted action species UNEP-WCMC, CMS Secretariat url p. 117.
• Smithsonian year. 1969 Washington: Smithsonian Institution, 1965-1976. url p. 305.
• Smithsonian year: annual report of the Smithsonian Institution for the year ended Sept. 30. .. 1982 City of Washington: For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O., 1980-2001. url p. 467.
• Special scientific report--wildlife / U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. Washington, D.C.: The Service, 1949- url p. 14, p. 196, p. 3, p. 31, p. 4, p. 420, p. 457, p. 521, p. 552, p. 7.
• Syllogeus. Ottawa, National Museum of Natural Sciences, 1972-1995. url p. 10, p. 98.
• The Canadian field-naturalist. 65 1951 Ottawa, Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club. url snure & scoggan , banfield , , p. 12, p. 13, p. 153, p. 175, p. 182, p. 190, p. 221, p. 229, p. 255, p. 274, p. 282, p. 31, p. 32, p. 325, p. 366, p. 371, p. 378, p. 384, p. 411, p. 434, p. 434, p. 470, p. 483, p. 498, p. 50, p. 541, p. 570, p. 580, p. 604, p. 665, p. 666, p. 672, p. 676, p. 677, p. 681, p. 698, p. 734, p. 739, p. 745, p. 755, p. 76, p. 9, p. 90.
• The Great Basin naturalist. 41 1981 Provo, Utah: M.L. Bean Life Science Museum, Brigham Young University, 1939-1999. url p. 264, p. 38, p. 520, p. 68.
• The ducks, geese and swans of North America, a vade mecum for the naturalist and the sportsman, Washington, D.C., American Wildlife Institute, 1943. url p. 364.
• The ecology of Tijuana Estuary, California: a national estuarine research reserve / by Joy B. Zedler, Christopher S. Nordby and Barbara E. Kus. [Washington, D.C.: NOAA Office of Coastal Resource Management, Sanctuaries and Reserves Division], 1992. url p. 68.
• The effect of altered streamflow on migratory birds of the Yellowstone River Basin, Montana / by Tom Hinz. Helena: Water Resources Division, Montana Dept. of Natural Resources & Conservation, 1977. url p. 101.
• University of Kansas publications, Museum of Natural History. 8 1956 Lawrence, University of Kansas. url p. 317, p. 580, p. 630, p. 669, p. 692.
• Washington State Coastal Zone Management Program amendment no. 3: approval of the Grays Harbor estuary management plan: program draft environmental impact statement. [Olympia, Wash.?]: Grays Harbor Regional Planning Commission; 1983. url p. 4.

Notes

Contributors

• BirdLife International 2006. In IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCNRedList.org. Downloaded July 18, 2008.
• BirdLife International 2006. Oxyura jamaicensis. In: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org . Downloaded on 21 October 2006.
• BirdLife International 2009. Oxyura jamaicensis. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloadedon 03February2012.
• Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 and ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 10, 2012.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed March 12, 2008. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 29 providers.
• Hines, J. E., Gregory Gough, J. R. Sauer, et al. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
• ISSG Global Invasive Species Database (http://www.issg.org/database)
• IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. . Downloaded on January 28, 2012.
• National Aviary, Pittsburgh, PA
• NatureServe. 2003. Downloadable animal data sets. NatureServe Central Databases. Accessed February 6, 2005.
• Parker III, T.A., D.F. Stotz, and J.W. Fitzpatrick, and quot;Ecological and Distributional Databases for Neotropical Birds, and quot; in Neotropical Birds: Ecology and Conservation, by D.F. Stotz, T.A. Parker III, J.W. Fitzpatrick, and D.K. Moskovits (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996). ISBN 0-226-64676-9.
• Peterson, Alan P. Zoological Nomenclature Resource. Accessed June 19, 2009.
• Ruggiero M., Gordon D., Bailly N., Kirk P., Nicolson D. (2011). The Catalogue of Life Taxonomic Classification, Edition 2, Part A. In: Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2011 Annual Checklist (Bisby F.A., Roskov Y.R., Orrell T.M., Nicolson D., Paglinawan L.E., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., Baillargeon G., Ouvrard D., eds). DVD; Species 2000: Reading, UK.
• Sauer, J. R., J. E. Hines, and J. Fallon. 2005. The North American Breeding Bird Survey, Results and Analysis 1966 - 2004. Version 2005.2. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD
• Sauer, J. R., S. Schwartz, and B. Hoover. 1996. The Christmas Bird Count Home Page. Version 95.1. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal March 12, 2008:

• Avian Knowledge Network: eBird
• Avian Knowledge Network: Great Backyard Bird Count
• Avian Knowledge Network: Project FeederWatch
• Biologiezentrum der Oberoesterreichischen Landesmuseen: Biologiezentrum Linz
• Bird Studies Canada: BC Coastal Waterbird Survey
• Bird Studies Canada: Marsh Monitoring Program - Birds
• Bird Studies Canada: Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas 1981-1985
• Bird Studies Canada: Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas 2001-2005
• Borror Laboratory of Bioacoustics
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: North West Territories and Nunavut Bird Checklist, Canada
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Ontario Nest Records
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Provincial Museum of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. Birds (Aves)
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Royal British Columbia Museum
• Canadian Museum of Nature: Canadian Museum of Nature Bird Collection
• Finnish Museum of Natural History: Hatikka Observation Data Gateway
• GBIF-Sweden: Birds (GBIF-SE:Artdatabanken)
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: A Biological Survey of the Waters of Woods Hole and Vacinity
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: Bay of Fundy Species List (OBIS Canada)
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: SEAMAP - marine mammals, birds and turtles
• Museum of Vertebrate Zoology: Terrestrial vertebrate specimens
• New Brunswick Museum: NBM birds
• Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: Santa Barbara Musem of Natural History
• UK National Biodiversity Network: Herts Bird Club - Hertfordshire Breeding Bird Atlas : 1988-1992
• UNIBIO, IBUNAM: CNAV/Coleccion Nacional de Aves
• University of Colorado Museum: Zoological specimens
• University of Michigan Museum of Zoology (UMMZ): Bird specimens

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 11617
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ITS-714751
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 2494622
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 175175
• IUCN ID: 229271
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: ABNJB22010
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 17571

Footnotes

1. Mean = 938.420 meters (3,078.806 feet), Standard Deviation = 1,051.890 based on 6,508 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
2. BirdLife International 2009. Oxyura jamaicensis. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 03 February 2012. [back]

©2004-2012 David Stang. All rights reserved.