• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Current status of Ruddy Duck in Europe? (1 Viewer)

Gonçalo Elias

avesdeportugal.info
Portugal
Hi all,

I would like to know what is the current status of Ruddy Duck in Europe.

This species was introduced in Britain some 50 years ago ans spread rapidly, first in UK, then in mainland Europe, it reached Spain and started to hybridise with the rares White-headed Duck.

Some control measures were carried out and as far as I know the species was totally erradicated from Spain and almost completely so in the UK, but I would like to have more details about this. Are there any left? What is the current trend of the population?

Thanks a lot
Gonçalo
 
Last I saw was spring 2018, when a male spent 6 weeks at Swallow Pond, Wallsend, Northumberland. None that I know of since, but a lot of people are suppressing sightings now to stop them from being shot.
 
Thanks all for the replies.

Last I saw was spring 2018, when a male spent 6 weeks at Swallow Pond, Wallsend, Northumberland. None that I know of since, but a lot of people are suppressing sightings now to stop them from being shot.

I see. In fact conservation programs often involving control measures often hit this kind of resistance.

On the website of birdlife international I found this distribution map, it seems to me that it is clearly out of date...
 

Attachments

  • mapa oxy jam.png
    mapa oxy jam.png
    152.2 KB · Views: 18
I'm fairly sure that numbers in the UK are down to low double figures. As far as I know government agents still try to shoot any that they hear of and can locate, and some people therefore think it right to suppress locations.

The almost regular sightings of White-headed Ducks in England have dried up since Ruddy Ducks migrated down to Spain and Morocco each year, apparently bringing odd White-headeds back with them.

Steve
 
According to waarneming.nl there is still low tens of birds and some breeding going on in the Netherlands. According to invasive species group, the biggest population of ca 200 used to be in NW France, where bureaucracy made it difficult for a control program to go on. Unfortunately faune-france.org is now down and I cannot check.
 
While doing some search on Google, I found this report prepared by Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT). It is called

ERADICATION OF THE RUDDY DUCK OXYURA JAMAICENSIS IN THE WESTERN PALAEARCTIC: A REVIEW OF PROGRESS AND A REVISED ACTION PLAN, 2011–2015

Final Version - January 2011


Here is the link: https://rm.coe.int/16807469c5
 
Yes, the information provided in the report certainly does not reflect the present situation, but it has some interesting data showing that while numbers were reducing in the UK the species was expanding elsewhere in Europe. I just posted it to help understand the historical evolution.
 
The real fun will be if one of the control groups shoots one and finds an American ring on it - or would they be too embarrassed to dare to admit it?
 
I found some interesting information about the LIFE program foing on in France. It is called LIFE Oxyura and it runs from 01-OCT-2018 to 30-DEC -2023.

According to this document, over half of the Ruddy Ducks left in Europe are now in France.

The white-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala) is a threatened Eurasian species, with a known population size estimated at 25 000 individuals. It is resident in North Africa, breeds and winters in Turkey and can be found in several EU countries over winter. The main threat to this species is genetic introgression by hybridisation with the ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis), a species introduced from North America. Since 1997, 14 000 ruddy ducks have been killed in Europe. Approximately 400 remain, of which 55 % are in France and 45 % in the Netherlands, Belgium, UK, and occasionally Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and Switzerland. In France, 250 to 350 ruddy ducks are also held in captivity, with a risk of escape into the wild. Actions undertaken in France since 1997 have not eradicated the ruddy duck due to insufficient resources and incoming ducks, particularly from the UK. The near-eradication of the UK’s population together with control measures implemented in Belgium and the Netherlands now make the eradication of ruddy duck in France a realistic possibility.

https://ofb.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/PDF/LIFE/oxyura_LIFE.pdf
 
https://rm.coe.int/expert-meeting-report-on-the-ruddy-duck-25-feb-2020/16809e17d3

I follow this issue with interest, also reactions of diverse bunny-hugger groups which considerably delayed this project and some other real conservation.

It looks that these groups when allowed to, become more and more aggressive, but faced with determined actions they give up and switch to an easier target. They also do not become interested in real conservation at all. In their mind, nature is still a paradise where animals live happily, like rabbits in the Wallace and Gromit film.
 
Last edited:
Why are you asking Goncalo?

I am preparing a small Field Guide about the identification of non-native birds in Portugal (only species that breed or have bred in the wild and also those that have been reported regularly - not isolated escapes). I wish to include some updated and accurate information about their current status in Portugal and Europe.

In the case of the Ruddy Duck I am aware of the eradication program going on since 1999, but I would like to understand where we are now.
 
https://rm.coe.int/expert-meeting-report-on-the-ruddy-duck-25-feb-2020/16809e17d3

I follow this issue with interest, also reactions of diverse bunny-hugger groups which considerably delayed this project and some other real conservation.

It looks that these groups when allowed to, become more and more aggressive, but faced with determined actions they give up and switch to an easier target. They also do not become interested in real conservation at all. In their mind, nature is still a paradise where animals live happily, like rabbits in the Wallace and Gromit film.

Rather a generalisation and if you don’t mind me saying, a little passive aggressive yourself.
 
Thanks. I can do that but I would like to get the broader European picture as well, according to the information I just quoted it seems that the "centre of mass" has moved from UK to continental Europe.

I think if you are working on conservation projects with WH Duck, it would be good to introduce yourself as having this interest before canvassing forum members. Rightly or wrongly, not everyone has the same oulook so it is important people know up front, what you will do with the information once they provide it to you.

EDIT
I just read your post - Is this an identification guide for people responsible for controlling invasive species to use in the field? (So they shoot the right ones? - we lost quite a few Pochards (and other ducks ) in the RD cull, through presumably mistaken identity, so I can see why producing a guide just on invasive species (that are breeding) would help with control).

The trends and distribution of Ruddy Duck can be extrapolated from WeBS data - probably more reliable and complete than anecdotal observations I would think. Personally, I haven’t seen any Ruddy Ducks for a few years now.
 
Last edited:
Warning! This thread is more than 3 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top