RUDDY DUCK 



167. Erismatura jamaicensis. 15 in. 



Bill short, broad, with an upturned appearance; tail 

 feathers very narrow, stiff and pointed. Male in sum- 

 mer, with black crown, whitish cheeks, throat and belly, 

 and reddish-brown back, breast and sides. In winter, 

 the cheeks are duller colored and the back mixed with 

 grayish. Female with crown, back and sides grayish; 

 cheeks showing traces of white as on the male. These 

 ducks are very sprightly, either in the water, on land, 

 or a-wing. Their flight is very rapid, their stiff, short 

 wings producing a buzzing sound that gives them the 

 local name of Bumble Bee Coot. They have a great 

 variety of names referring to some character of their 

 form, such as Broad-bill Dipper, Bull-neck, Bristle- 

 tail, etc. 



Nest. Of grasses or rushes, lined with down, placed 

 in tall grass near the water or in clumps of rushes 

 growing out of the water ; 6 to 12 grayish eggs ( 2.40 x 

 1.75), very large for the size of the bird; June. ,' ' 



Range. Breeds in the interior of northern U. S. and 

 in Canada; winters in southern United States. 



