Photo: Davidvraju / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Waterbirds

Ruddy Shelduck

Tadorna ferruginea

Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of New South Wales Birds of British Columbia Birds of Nunavut Birds of Ontario Birds of Quebec Birds of England Birds of Bedfordshire Birds of Buckinghamshire Birds of South Yorkshire Birds of Berkshire

By family

Ducks, Geese & Swans of New South Wales Ducks, Geese & Swans of British Columbia Ducks, Geese & Swans of Nunavut Ducks, Geese & Swans of Ontario Ducks, Geese & Swans of Quebec Ducks, Geese & Swans of England

See what's near you right now

The Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 1.2 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae Ducks, Geese, Swans
Genus Tadorna
Species ferruginea

Where it lives

Southern Europe to central Asia, northwestern Africa and Ethiopia

Quick facts

Weight: 1.2 kg
Diet: Omnivores
Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Ruddy Shelduck is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Ruddy Shelduck is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) is a member of the Anatidae family, within the order Anseriformes. Its range spans Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF s Europe to c Asia, nw Africa and Ethiopia.

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.2 kg, with a wing length of about 35.6 cm and a tail of around 12.5 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 18.4 million km² — a very large global range.

Songs & calls

Ruddy Shelduck — Call

Recorded by Pere Josa Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Ruddy Shelduck?

The Ruddy Shelduck is a very large bird that weighs around 1.2 kg.

Where does the Ruddy Shelduck live?

The Ruddy Shelduck is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL, AF s Europe to c Asia, nw Africa and Ethiopia, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Ruddy Shelduck belong to?

The Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.

What does the Ruddy Shelduck eat?

The Ruddy Shelduck is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Does the Ruddy Shelduck migrate?

The Ruddy Shelduck is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Ruddy Shelduck endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Ruddy Shelduck make?

1 real field recording of the Ruddy Shelduck — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Ruddy Shelduck's range?

The Ruddy Shelduck has a mapped global range of about 18.4 million km².