Meanings
plural ruddy ducks
- Oxyura jamaicensis, a small stifftail duck, the male of which has a rust-coloured body.
Except when migrating, the ruddy duck seldom flies.[…]If disturbed by a predator, the ruddy duck dives to escape.
2004, Laurie E. Likoff, The Encyclopedia of Birds, volume 1, page 8022 more examples
Since hybridization with the ruddy duck could lead to extinction of the white-headed duck, Spain began to kill its ruddy ducks. Trials to eliminate ruddy ducks from the U.K. began in 1999, and were overseen by a euphemistically named White-headed Duck Task Force.
2008, Roslyn M. Frank, Body, Language, and Mind: Sociocultural situatedness, volume 2, page 170The decision was taken, supported by conservation organizations, that it was necessary to save the white-headed duck species by exterminating all members of the ruddy duck species in Europe, which meant mainly in the UK, where there were an estimated 6000 ruddy ducks in 2000.
2010, Jacky Turner, Animal Breeding, Welfare and Society, unnumbered pageSynonyms: sleepyhead
Synonyms & antonyms
nounOxyura jamaicensis, a small stifftail duck, the male of which has a rust-coloured body.
More synonyms by meaning
nounreddish-brown stiff-tailed duck of North America and northern South America
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
From ruddy (“reddish”) + duck, referring to the rust-coloured body of the male.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Danish amerikansk skarveand
- amerikansk skarveandOxyura jamaicensis
Dutch rosse stekelstaart
- rosse stekelstaartOxyura jamaicensis
Finnish kuparisorsa
- kuparisorsaOxyura jamaicensis
French érismature rousse
- érismature rousseOxyura jamaicensis
Greek ρουσομύτη
- ρουσομύτη (rousomýti)Oxyura jamaicensis
Polish sterniczka jamajska
- sterniczka jamajskaOxyura jamaicensis
Romanian rață jamaicană
- rață jamaicanăOxyura jamaicensis
Russian америка́нская са́вка
- америка́нская са́вка (amerikánskaja sávka)Oxyura jamaicensis
Swedish amerikansk kopparand
- amerikansk kopparandOxyura jamaicensis
Turkish kara başlı dikkuyruk
- kara başlı dikkuyrukOxyura jamaicensis
Cite this entry
ruddy duck. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ruddy%20duck
“ruddy duck.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ruddy%20duck. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ruddy duck,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ruddy%20duck.
Source: ruddy duck on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.