What is "ruddy duck"

Ruddy \Rud"dy\, a. [Compar. Ruddier; superl. Ruddiest.] [AS. rudig. See Rud, n.]

1. 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.

2. 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.

n. ''Oxyura jamaicensis'', a small stifftail duck, the male of which has a rust-coloured body.

n. reddish-brown stiff-tailed duck of North America and northern South America [syn: Oxyura jamaicensis]

The ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) is a duck from North America and the Andes Mountains of South America, one of the stiff-tailed ducks. The genus name is derived from Ancient Greek oxus, "sharp", and oura, "tail", and jamaicensis is Jamaica.