{"id":119932,"date":"2024-01-19T04:46:56","date_gmt":"2024-01-19T11:46:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=119932"},"modified":"2024-01-20T03:52:38","modified_gmt":"2024-01-20T10:52:38","slug":"drake-ruddy-duck-in-early-breeding-plumage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/01\/19\/drake-ruddy-duck-in-early-breeding-plumage\/","title":{"rendered":"Drake Ruddy Duck In Early Breeding Plumage"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve been paying a lot of attention to a drake Ruddy Duck at my local pond because he has gone into breeding plumage earlier than is normal for this species.<\/p>\n

\"RuddyRuddy Duck drake on November 25, 2023 \u2013 Nikon D500, tripod mounted, f8, 1\/2000, ISO 1000, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The Ruddy Duck drake was in nonbreeding or Definitive Basic Plumage on November 25, 2023. He and his presumed mate had arrived at my local pond on November 14th.<\/p>\n

At that time, the drake had just barely a hint of blue on his bill. His bill was the only thing that stood out to me on that November day.<\/p>\n

I’ve shared the first two images on a previous post about this drake Ruddy Duck which can be seen here<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"RuddyRuddy Duck drake on December 15, 2023 \u2013 Nikon D500, tripod mounted, f8, 1\/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Typically, this diving duck species isn’t in full breeding plumage until around March, which is later than most other male ducks in North America.<\/p>\n

But on December 15th when I saw and photographed this drake I could see that his bill was already mostly blue and that there were chestnut colored feathers on his flanks.<\/p>\n

His appearance puzzled me because it seemed early for him to be transitioning into breeding plumage.<\/p>\n

\"DrakeDrake Ruddy Duck almost in breeding plumage on January 13, 2024 \u2013 Nikon D500, tripod mounted, f8, 1\/800, ISO 800, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\n
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Fast forward to January 13, 2024, and this drake Ruddy Duck has almost completed transitioning into full breeding or Definitive Alternate Plumage. This photo was taken slightly less than a month after the second photo I shared.<\/p>\n

His back and flanks are now the deep, rich chestnut color seen in the breeding plumage of this species. His bill is a bright sky blue and his dark cap has gotten even darker.<\/p>\n

If I didn’t actually know when this photo was taken, I would suggest late February or March because of the snowflakes I see falling in the photo and the appearance of his plumage.<\/p>\n

I still don’t have a clue why this drake Ruddy Duck<\/span><\/a> is in breeding plumage so early. I suppose it could be caused by something physical like a hormonal imbalance. Perhaps it is an adaptation to climate change?<\/p>\n

I truly don’t know but I find him and his breeding plumage in January very interesting. I wonder if he will start his breeding displays early too.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Ruddy Duck photos plus facts and information on this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’ve been paying a lot of attention to a drake Ruddy Duck at my local pond because he has gone into breeding plumage earlier than is normal for this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":119927,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,2397,709,26],"tags":[4004,970,4053,5606,4642,4753,4483,1129,126,4620,4062,4246,2398,10698,1984,2447,4050,4328,8018,3996],"class_list":["post-119932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-ruddy-ducks","category-salt-lake-county-utah","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-autumn","tag-breeding-plumage","tag-definitive-alternate-plumage","tag-definitive-basic-plumage","tag-diving-ducks","tag-drake","tag-duck","tag-ducks-2","tag-fall","tag-male","tag-nonbreeding-plumage","tag-oxyura-jamaicensis","tag-park","tag-pond","tag-ruddy-duck","tag-snow","tag-snowy","tag-urban","tag-water"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ruddy-duck-drake-getting-his-colors-on-mia-mcpherson-1969.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-vco","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":119186,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/12\/18\/ruddy-duck-drake-what-a-difference-20-days-makes\/","url_meta":{"origin":119932,"position":0},"title":"Ruddy Duck Drake – What A Difference 20 Days Makes","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 18, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Just 20 days can make a big difference in the way this Ruddy Duck drake looks. His bill is a lot bluer now than it was when I first saw him at my local pond.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ruddy Duck drake on December 15, 2023, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/ruddy-duck-adult-male-december-mia-mcpherson-0364.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/ruddy-duck-adult-male-december-mia-mcpherson-0364.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/ruddy-duck-adult-male-december-mia-mcpherson-0364.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/ruddy-duck-adult-male-december-mia-mcpherson-0364.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":118573,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/11\/26\/urban-ruddy-duck-drake\/","url_meta":{"origin":119932,"position":1},"title":"Urban Ruddy Duck Drake","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 26, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Even though it was windy yesterday afternoon, I spent a few minutes with a Ruddy Duck drake in my viewfinder at my local pond. I hoped that he would get closer.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Urban drake Ruddy Duck, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ruddy-duck-drake-nonbreeding-plumage-mia-mcpherson-8688.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ruddy-duck-drake-nonbreeding-plumage-mia-mcpherson-8688.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ruddy-duck-drake-nonbreeding-plumage-mia-mcpherson-8688.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ruddy-duck-drake-nonbreeding-plumage-mia-mcpherson-8688.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":109661,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/01\/17\/ruddy-duck-drake-close-to-home\/","url_meta":{"origin":119932,"position":2},"title":"Ruddy Duck Drake Close To Home","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 17, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The last time I was at my neighborhood pond I spotted a Ruddy Duck drake out in the middle of the water who was starting to transition into breeding plumage.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Urban Ruddy Duck drake, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ruddy-duck-drake-adult-mia-mcpherson-1632.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ruddy-duck-drake-adult-mia-mcpherson-1632.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ruddy-duck-drake-adult-mia-mcpherson-1632.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ruddy-duck-drake-adult-mia-mcpherson-1632.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":113515,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/05\/21\/ruddy-duck-shaking-in-morning-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":119932,"position":3},"title":"Ruddy Duck shaking in morning light","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 21, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Last month, when I took this photo of a male Ruddy Duck shaking at my local pond, I liked the way the light illuminated the lower part of his wings.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Drake Ruddy Duck shaking in morning light, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ruddy-duck-spring-wing-flap-mia-mcpherson-4795.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ruddy-duck-spring-wing-flap-mia-mcpherson-4795.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ruddy-duck-spring-wing-flap-mia-mcpherson-4795.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/ruddy-duck-spring-wing-flap-mia-mcpherson-4795.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":112996,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/04\/28\/drake-ruddy-duck-and-his-sky-blue-bill\/","url_meta":{"origin":119932,"position":4},"title":"Drake Ruddy Duck And His Sky Blue Bill","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 28, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning, I had a real treat photographing a drake Ruddy Duck close to home. He was in his most dapper breeding plumage, including his sky blue bill.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Spring drake Ruddy Duck portrait, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/ruddy-duck-drake-breeding-plumage-mia-mcpherson-3947.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/ruddy-duck-drake-breeding-plumage-mia-mcpherson-3947.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/ruddy-duck-drake-breeding-plumage-mia-mcpherson-3947.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/ruddy-duck-drake-breeding-plumage-mia-mcpherson-3947.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":55722,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/01\/17\/ruddy-duck-drake-in-nonbreeding-plumage\/","url_meta":{"origin":119932,"position":5},"title":"Ruddy Duck Drake In Nonbreeding Plumage","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 17, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Even though this drake Ruddy Duck is small in the frame I liked this image because of the silky blue water, the small wake behind the duck, the direct eye contact and how some of the blue of this drake's bill is visible.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Drake Ruddy Duck in nonbreeding plumage, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/ruddy-duck-drake-mia-mcpherson-5552.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/ruddy-duck-drake-mia-mcpherson-5552.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/ruddy-duck-drake-mia-mcpherson-5552.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/ruddy-duck-drake-mia-mcpherson-5552.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119932","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=119932"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119932\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/119927"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=119932"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=119932"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=119932"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}