Description
The lands of the refuge were established to protect and provide habitat for migratory birds that cross State lines and international borders and are by law a Federal trust responsibility.
The refuge is of great value to waterfowl and shorebirds, as well as other migrating water-dependent bird species, because of the diversity of wetland and upland habitats that provide for the diverse life cycle needs of these species.
Photo Credit: Neil Mishler/USFWS
Date 20 May 2012, 09:48
Source Ruddy Duck in Flight https://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwsmtnprairie/8600071291/
Author USFWS Mountain-Prairie https://www.flickr.com/people/51986662@N05
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ruddy_Duck_in_Flight_(8600071291).jpg

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. The southern subspecies ferruginea is occasionally considered a distinct species. It is separable by its all-black face and larger size. The subspecies andina has a varying amount of black coloration on its white face; it may in fact be nothing more than a hybrid population between the North American and the Andean ruddy duck. Order: Anseriformes, Family: Anatidae, Subfamily: Oxyurinae, Genus: Oxyura, Species: Oxyura jamaicensis (Gmelin, 1789).
Subspecies:
Oxyura jamaicensis jamaicensis (Gmelin, 1789) (North American ruddy duck)
Oxyura jamaicensis rubida (Wilson, 1814) (disputed)
Oxyura jamaicensis andina Lehmann, 1946 (Colombian ruddy duck)
Oxyura jamaicensis ferruginea (Eyton, 1838) (Andean ruddy duck)