The Collaborative International Dictionary
Ruddy \Rud"dy\, a. [Compar. Ruddier; superl. Ruddiest.] [AS. rudig. See Rud, n.]
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Of a red color; red, or reddish; as, a ruddy sky; a ruddy flame.
--Milton.They were more ruddy in body than rubies.
--Lam. iv. 7. -
Of a lively flesh color, or the color of the human skin in high health; as, ruddy cheeks or lips.
--Dryden.Ruddy duck (Zo["o]l.), an American duck ( Erismatura rubida) having a broad bill and a wedge-shaped tail composed of stiff, sharp feathers. The adult male is rich brownish red on the back, sides, and neck, black on the top of the head, nape, wings, and tail, and white on the cheeks. The female and young male are dull brown mixed with blackish on the back; grayish below. Called also dunbird, dundiver, ruddy diver, stifftail, spinetail, hardhead, sleepy duck, fool duck, spoonbill, etc.
Ruddy plover (Zo["o]l.) the sanderling.
Wiktionary
n. 1 The pochard. 2 The ruddy duck.
Usage examples of "dunbird".
Of such therefore as are bred in our land, we have the crane, the bitter,the wild and tame swan, the bustard, the heron, curlew, snite, wildgoose, wind or doterell, brant, lark, plover (of both sorts), lapwing, teal, widgeon, mallard, sheldrake, shoveller, peewitt, seamew, barnacle, quail (who, only with man, are subject to the falling sickness), the knot, the oliet or olive, the dunbird, woodcock, partridge, and pheasant, besides divers others, whose names to me are utterly unknown, and much more the taste of their flesh, wherewith I was never acquainted.