Habitat
On shallow lowland lakes with abundant fringing vegetation and occasionally coastal waters during the breeding season. In winter on larger bodies of water.
Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bolivia, Canada (P), Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica (B), Martinique, Mexico, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles (B), Nicaragua, Peru, Puerto Rico, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and The Grenadines, Turks and Caicos Islands, USA (B), Virgin Islands (British) (B) (NB), Virgin Islands (U.S.) (B) (NB).
Vagrant to Algeria, Finland, Grenada, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Slovenia, St Pierre and Miquelon (P), Tunisia, Turkey.
Introduced to Austria, Belgium, Denmark (NB), France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal (B), Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom (B) (NB).
Population
Estimated population is 520,000 - 600,000 (2010).
Subspecies
Subspecies andina, intermediate between jamaicensis and ferruginea, might be of hybrid origin.
Population of North America has been assigned separate subspecies rubida, though doubtfully valid.
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) and Andean Duck (Oxyura ferruginea) have been lumped into Oxyura jamaicensis (2005).
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
jamaicensis (Gmelin, 1789) - Canada, from British Columbia to Manitoba, and south to California and Texas. Also scattered in north-eastern USA, West Indies.
andina Lehmann, 1946 - Andes of central and northern Colombia. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Andean Duck (Oxyura ferruginea).
ferruginea (Eyton, 1838) - Colombia to southern Cone. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Andean Duck (Oxyura ferruginea).
The Reader's Digest Book of British Birds 1980, 3rd Edition, Drive Publications Ltd ISBN 0 340 25308 8
Birds in Colour Campbell, B., 1960, Penguin Books Ltd
The Pocket Guide to Nest and Eggs Fitter, R.S.R., 1954, Collins
RSPB Handbook of British Birds Holden, P., Cleeves, T., 2002, A & C Black ISBN 0 7136 5713 8
Birds of Britain and Europe Sterry, P., et al., 2001, AA Publishing ISBN 0 7495 3068 5
The Popular Handbook of British Birds Hollom, P.A.D., 1973, H.F. & G. Witherby Ltd ISBN 0 85493 002 7