Ruddy Duck
Ruddy Duck has surged: up 152% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
About the Ruddy Duck
The Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) is a North American member of the Ducks, Geese & Waterfowl (Anatidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the waterfowl.
- Size
- 12–43.5 in long (30–110 cm) — a medium to large waterfowl (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes and sheltered coastal waters.
- Diet
- Aquatic plants, seeds and invertebrates, dabbled at the surface or dived for.
- Range
- Recorded on 355 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 25 states, most concentrated in the Prairie Potholes.
- Family
- Anatidae · Waterfowl
Notable Ruddy Duck Trends
Ruddy Duck has surged in surveyed states: up 152% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
Ruddy Duck Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Ruddy Duck is projected to rise about 31% by 2029 — from 0.17 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.23 (95% range 0.09–0.37). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±40.9%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.22 | 0.08 | 0.36 |
| 2026 | 0.22 | 0.08 | 0.37 |
| 2027 | 0.23 | 0.08 | 0.37 |
| 2028 | 0.23 | 0.08 | 0.37 |
| 2029 | 0.23 | 0.09 | 0.37 |
Where the Ruddy Duck Is Detected
BBS routes recording Ruddy Duck, sized by most recent count.
Ruddy Duck Population Trend by State
| Arizona | -72% | 1997 | 5 |
| California | +42% | 1972 | 50 |
| Colorado | +120% | 1977 | 29 |
| Idaho | -74% | 1971 | 10 |
| Illinois | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Indiana | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Iowa | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| Kansas | -93% | 1970 | 5 |
| Michigan | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Minnesota | -38% | 1972 | 20 |
| Montana | +192% | 1974 | 35 |
| Nebraska | -54% | 1980 | 10 |
| Nevada | +115% | 1972 | 9 |
| New Mexico | -78% | 1978 | 10 |
| New York | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| North Dakota | +240% | 1969 | 33 |
| Ohio | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Oklahoma | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| Oregon | +78% | 1974 | 16 |
| South Dakota | -51% | 1970 | 30 |
| Texas | -25% | 1992 | 17 |
| Utah | +153% | 1994 | 20 |
| Washington | -68% | 1981 | 22 |
| Wisconsin | insufficient data | n/a | 4 |
| Wyoming | -24% | 1977 | 21 |
Ruddy Duck Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Northern Pacific Rainforest | -63% | 1977 | 4 |
| Great Basin | +134% | 1971 | 66 |
| Northern Rockies | +278% | 1978 | 32 |
| Prairie Potholes | +154% | 1969 | 70 |
| Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau | +722% | 1973 | 34 |
| Badlands and Prairies | +115% | 1971 | 37 |
| Shortgrass Prairie | -66% | 1978 | 23 |
| Central Mixed Grass Prairie | -95% | 1970 | 14 |
| Prairie Hardwood Transition | -42% | 1969 | 14 |
| Coastal California | -44% | 1973 | 31 |
| Sonoran and Mojave Deserts | -77% | 1977 | 7 |
| Gulf Coastal Prairie | -76% | 2000 | 6 |
Ruddy Duck Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 152% since 1969.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.