The 1975 winter waterfowl survey found 1,600 Ruddy Ducks in South Carolina, and 

 about 500 were killed there during the 1975 hunting season (Goldsberry et al. 

 1980). Burton (1970) listed three instances of breeding within the state, one 

 at Bear's Island Game Management Area, another at Bull's Island, and a third at 

 Magnolia Gardens. 



Georgia The Ruddy Duck is fairly common in winter in Georgia, and is found 

 both in coastal areas and inland (Burleigh 1958, Denton et al. 1977). Bellrose 

 (1976) estimated that fewer than 100 winter in Georgia, however, and none were 

 found during the 1975 survey of wintering waterfowl by the U.S. Fish and Wild- 

 life Service (Goldsberry et al. 1980). None were known to have been killed in 

 Georgia during the 1973-1975 hunting seasons (Goldsberry et al. 1980, Larned et 

 al. 1980), and Christmas Bird Counts from 1973-1977 for Sapelo Island and Glynn 

 County averaged only 45 and 105 birds, respectively. Thus, the species is con- 

 siderably less common in Georgia than in states to the north. A few records of 

 birds in summer suggest that breeding may occur (Denton et al. 1977). 



Florida Bellrose (1976) estimated that the winter population of Ruddy 

 Ducks in Florida reaches 11,000 birds; the 1975 January survey found only 2,700 

 (Goldsberry et al. 1980). Kale (1979 ms a, 1979 ms b) regarded this duck, 

 largely found on fresh water in Florida, as uncommon along the Atlantic coast 

 and most of the Gulf coast. It is more abundant in northern Florida than in the 

 southern part of the state (Sprunt 1954), and reaches its peak abundance inland 

 and along the panhandle. As many as 8,000 to 10,000 were once seen inland on 

 Lake Jackson (Robertson 1971, Stevenson 1971) and winter populations of 7,500 

 to 8,400 have been recorded at St. Marks NWR (Kale 1979 ms b). 



Ruddy Ducks have bred at least three times in Florida. A female with six 

 young was seen near Mayport , Duval County, in June 1964; adults with two young 

 were seen in an abandoned rock quarry near Live Oak, Columbia County, in late 

 May 1976 (Menk and Stevenson 1977); and a pair with young was seen at the site 

 of the Occidental phosphate mine in 1979 (Ogden 1979). 



Alabama This bird is a fairly common migrant and winter visitor in Ala- 

 bama from October to May, mainly on deep ponds in the interior. Breeding birds 

 have not been observed, although some birds have been present through the sum- 

 mer. The largest count along the Gulf coast was of 250 at the Mobile Delta 

 (Imhof 1976b). About 320 were believed to have been killed during the 1974 

 hunting season (Goldsberry et al. 1980), and about 525 were shot and retrieved 

 by hunters during the subsequent season (Larned et al. 1980). The January 1975 

 waterfowl survey reported 100 in Alabama (Goldsberry et al. 1980). 



Mississippi Ruddy Ducks are reported as regular visitors to the Gulf coast 

 from November to May, but in small numbers (Burleigh 1944). They are apparently 

 more abundant inland, with a count of more than 2,000 at Jackson on 1 January 

 1977 (Jackson and Weber 1977). Bellrose (1976) reported an average winter popu- 

 lation of 8,000; most of these birds were seen at sites well away from salt wa- 

 ter. The 1975 winter waterfowl survey recorded 6,600 Ruddy Ducks in Mississippi 

 (Goldsberry et al. 1980). Although birds have spent the summer (Jackson and 

 Cooley 1978a), nesting has not been reported. 



Louisiana Bellrose (1976) estimated an average winter population of 13,000 



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