Mallard vs Ruddy Duck
Anas platyrhynchos compared with Oxyura jamaicensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mallard | Ruddy Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas platyrhynchos | Oxyura jamaicensis |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | 27.9 cm (11.0 in) |
| Weight | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) | 586.6666666666666 g (20.69 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … | Dives for aquatic plant seeds, roots, and invertebrates in freshwater marshes. Uses stiff tail as … |
| Clutch Size | 4-18 | 5-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Song & Call Comparison
Mallard
Female gives the classic 'quack-quack-quack', descending in pitch. Male utters soft nasal 'raeb-raeb'. Both give a high 'gag-gag-gag' when alarmed or taking flight.
Ruddy Duck
Male produces a mechanical, drumming bok-bok-bok staccato beat; female gives a harsh, nasal quack. The male's rapid drum-roll call on the bill during display is startlingly loud and distinctive.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Ruddy Duck
Breeds across interior North America from western Canada south to Mexico. Winters on coasts and inland waters south to northern South America.
Conservation Status
Mallard
Ruddy Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Mallard
Breeding males have an iridescent green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, and grey body. Females are mottled brown. Both sexes show a blue speculum bordered by white.
Broad, flat bill — yellow-green in males, orange-brown in females
Ruddy Duck
Breeding male has vivid rufous-chestnut body, black crown, white cheeks, and bright sky-blue bill; stiff tail often cocked upright. Female is dull brown with pale cheek crossed by single dark …
About These Birds
Mallard
The mallard is the ancestor of most domestic duck breeds and the most abundant and widespread dabbling duck in the world. Males perform elaborate courtship displays including head-bobbing and whistle-grunt calls. Mallards are highly adaptable, thriving in both wilderness and urban environments.
Ruddy Duck
A compact stiff-tailed diving duck (~590 g) in family Anatidae, males chestnut-bodied with a sky-blue bill in breeding season. Native to North and South America; an introduced invasive in Europe threatening the White-headed Duck through hybridization. Breeds on freshwater marshes; dives for aquatic plants and invertebrates. Least Concern in native range.