Part 14

THE RUDDY DUCK, OR WIRE-TAIL

(Erismatura rubida)

The ruddy duck is a very common duck on our shooting grounds, from one end to the other, though as a rule it is not much sought after by our sportsmen. When feeding on the salt marshes they are not very palatable, it is true, but when killed on fresh waters they are one of our finest flavored ducks, if properly cooked. After refusing many shots at these little ducks and even many times failing to carry home those I did kill, it remained for Mr. Babcock, then of the Coronado Hotel, of San Diego, California, to demonstrate to me the real value of the ruddy duck. I was one of the party shooting with him on his preserve at Otay dam. When we came into the house after our morning's shoot, a most enjoyable one, he asked each member of the party what kind of duck he wished for his dinner. Mallards, canvasbacks, sprigs and widgeons had been named, so when he came to me I answered that any kind would do me. To this he replied: "Then you shall have one of my favorites." When dinner was ready, before each plate was a beautifully roasted duck of the species chosen by the member of the party for whom that plate was laid, but the plates in front of Mr. Babcock and myself each contained two plump little birds that I did not recognize in their undress uniform. After I had tasted of one, Mr. Babcock asked: "How do you like my selection?" "Very much," I answered, "but what are they? I never ate anything better." "The much despised ruddy," was his reply, "the superior of the canvasback when properly handled." The best evidence that I fully endorsed all that he claimed for the ruddy duck is the fact that there was nothing left of my two birds but well-picked bones. The ruddy duck may well be called a resident species over the whole of the Pacific Coast shooting grounds, for they breed not only on the lakes and streams, but on the lower marshes as well, throughout the whole territory.

The ruddy duck is known by a number of names such as "wire tail," "dipper," "bullet-head," "buffle-head," etc.

=Color=--Male--Top of head, dark brown; sides of head below the eye, dirty white; upper parts, brown; no speculum on the wing; axillars, very light gray with light brown shafts; tail, broad and stiff with the feathers pointed; under parts, dirty white.

Female--Much the color of the male, but more of a dirty brown. Side of the head and throat, dirty gray.

=Nest and Eggs=--The nests are usually built on little hillocks in the marshes, and contain from six to eight dirty white eggs.

=Measurements=--The ruddy is a small duck with a very rounded body. Total length, about 15 inches; wing, 6, and bill, 1-1/2 inches, strongly depressed in the center.

THE AMERICAN GOLDEN-EYE

(Glaucionetta clangula americana)

The American golden-eye is a visitor from the far north to the northern portions of the territory covered by this work. An occasional straggler is killed as far south as San Francisco, but they are a cold country bird. They are more common in the interior of Washington and Oregon than along the coast.

=Color=--Male--Head and upper half of neck, dark green with a metallic sheen; a nearly round patch of white between the eye and the base of the bill; lower part of neck, most of the back and the under parts, white; upper part of the back, rump and tail, black; wings, mostly white.

Female--Head and upper neck, brown; gray spot at the base of the bill; breast and under parts, gray; back and most of the wings, brownish black.

=Nest and Eggs=--The nest is usually built in a hollow tree or stump and contains about ten eggs of a bluish white color.

=Measurements=--Total length, about 19 inches; wing, 9, and bill, 1 7/8. Female about one-tenth smaller.

BARROW'S GOLDEN-EYE

(Glaucionetta ilandica)

Barrow's golden-eye is another duck that is seen, but little within the Pacific Coast hunting grounds, and only then near the coast sections of the northern part. They are found more plentiful on the islands along the north Pacific coast.

=Color=--The male resembles the American golden-eye very closely, except that the head of the Barrow's is more of a purple, or greenish purple. The white at the base of the bill is also different, it being a crescent shape instead of round.

The female differs in the head being more of a cinnamon brown, and the back more of a gray and slightly mottled with brown.

=Nest, Eggs and Measurements=--The same as the American golden-eye.

THE BUTTER-BALL

(Charitonetta albeola)

The butter-ball, or buffle-head, is another common duck all over the country. But where we have so many larger and better ducks they are little sought for, and are generally considered poor shooting. Yet I recall one occasion when with a friend I was shooting on a couple of foothill ponds where many of these little ducks had congregated, they furnished us with fine sport. The larger ducks were soon scared away, but the little butter-balls would not leave. One of us was stationed at each pond and we soon had them all in the air.

=Color=--Male--Head, greenish purple, with a strong metallic luster; white patch running from the eye to the back of the head; feathers of the head long, forming a crest; back, black; under parts white and a broad white patch on the wing.

Female--The female is a very modestly colored bird to have so gaudy a mate. Head and upper parts, a dark, dead brown; under parts, white; speculum, white; a small, elongated white spot on the side of the head.

=Nest and Eggs=--The nest is usually built on some elevation such as a stump or log; some times in a tree. The eggs, numbering eight to ten, are of a pale buff color.

=Measurements=--Total length, 11 to 12-1/2 inches; wing, about 6, and bill, 1 inch.