Introduction
The ruddy duck is a small, compact diving duck species native to North America. However, in the 20th century a population became established in the UK after a small number escaped from captivity. Ruddy ducks can be aggressive competitors and pose a threat to the endangered native European white-headed duck, so from the 1990s onwards major culling operations were carried out in the UK in an attempt to completely eradicate the species. This raises the question: are there any ruddy ducks left in the UK today?
Background on Ruddy Ducks in the UK
Ruddy ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) are not native to the UK. The species originates from North America, where its populations remain stable. However, in the 1950s a small number of ruddy ducks escaped from captivity in the UK, predominantly from the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust collection at Slimbridge. This population then expanded rapidly, reaching an estimated peak of around 6,000 birds in 2000.
The reason ruddy ducks proved so successful in colonizing the UK is that they are highly aggressive competitors, especially during the breeding season. They directly threaten native waterfowl due to their hostile behavior, dominance over optimal nesting habitat, and tendency to hybridize with rare species. Most notably, ruddy ducks pose a major threat to the endangered Spanish population of the white-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala). Because of the risks they pose, ruddy ducks are considered an invasive species in the UK.
Beginning in the 1990s, government agencies undertook an eradication program to remove ruddy ducks entirely from the UK. The main methods used were shooting adult ducks, oiling eggs to prevent hatching, and destroying nests. By 2010 it was declared that the UK was essentially ruddy duck-free, with an official count of just two males remaining. Some conservation groups objected to the culling. However, the program was considered necessary to protect native waterfowl populations.
Current Status of Ruddy Ducks in the UK
According to the most recent assessment in 2015, the total UK breeding population of ruddy ducks is now considered to be functionally extinct. Intensive eradication efforts over the preceding two decades were successful in completely removing the species from the UK breeding range.
Nonetheless, it is believed a small number of ruddy ducks remain as occasional winter visitors and passage migrants, likely originating from elsewhere in Europe. These birds arrive in the UK during colder months but do not remain to breed. Annual surveys typically detect fewer than ten ruddy ducks overwintering. For example, in the 2013/14 waterbird survey, only five ruddy ducks were recorded in the UK. In 2014/15, eight ruddy ducks were spotted. The latest 2015/16 survey found just a single ruddy duck wintering in the UK.
So while the once well-established breeding population is now considered eradicated from Britain, a few individuals continue to turn up, especially during the winter. However, there have been no confirmed breeding attempts for several years now.
Reasons Why a Few Ruddy Ducks Remain
There are a few key reasons why, despite major eradication efforts, a tiny number of ruddy ducks continue to be sighted in the UK each year:
– Migration from Europe – The small number of wintering ruddy ducks are likely migrants originating from residual populations elsewhere in Europe, outside the cull zone. Some may come from France, the Netherlands or elsewhere.
– Eradication was not 100% effective – The culling program was extremely thorough and successful overall. But eradicating an entire species is notoriously difficult. A few birds probably evaded shooting and nest destruction and remain at very low numbers.
– Deliberate releases – There is also the possibility of isolated cases of misguided individuals deliberately releasing ruddy ducks back into the wild in the UK, thereby supplementing the wintering birds.
– Inability to detect all birds – No monitoring program is perfect. A couple of undetected pairs could still be lurking unspotted in remote wetlands, but are not currently breeding.
So while full eradication is difficult, the policy achieved its main goal of permanently eliminating the ruddy duck as a British breeding species. The tiny number of wintering stragglers has a negligible conservation impact. But ongoing vigilance is still required.
Surveillance and Control Measures
To ensure the ruddy duck does not re-establish itself as a British breeding species, a number of surveillance and control measures remain in place:
– Annual winter waterbird surveys are conducted to monitor ruddy duck numbers and distribution.
– There is mandatory reporting of any sightings by conservation bodies and birdwatchers.
– Licenses can be obtained to shoot remaining ruddy ducks under certain conditions.
– Release of ruddy ducks into the wild is prohibited under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
– Educational campaigns remind the public not to release ruddy ducks and highlight the ecological risks.
– The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust no longer keeps ruddy ducks at its wetland reserves.
So although the major eradication efforts have ceased, monitoring and control continues to safeguard against potential re-establishment. This should ensure the ruddy duck has no future as a sustainable UK breeding population.
Future Outlook
The future outlook is that ruddy ducks will continue to be virtually extinct as a successful breeding species in the UK. The small number of wintering migrants poses little risk. However, it is impossible to fully exclude the possibility of a handful of undetected birds lingering in remote areas. Sporadic sightings of a few individuals will likely continue, but are unlikely to lead to re-establishment.
Ongoing surveillance, reporting procedures and control measures should rapidly identify and eliminate any significant spike in numbers before the ruddy duck could once again gain a foothold on UK wetlands. Tolerating a tiny wintering presence is considered an acceptable compromise balanced against the impracticalities of fully enforcing absolute zero abundance.
So in conclusion, while not completely eliminated, the ruddy duck population is functionally extinct in the UK, with no prospects of rebounding. The few remaining winter stragglers do not constitute a viable breeding population, so the major conservation goals have been achieved.
Conclusion
In summary:
– Ruddy ducks became established as an introduced species in the UK from the 1950s onwards, reaching a peak population around 6,000 birds in 2000.
– They were culled to near extinction from the 1990s onwards due to ecological threats to native waterfowl.
– The intensive eradication program successfully eliminated them as a breeding species, with the UK population now considered functionally extinct.
– However, a few individuals (typically fewer than 10 per year) still overwinter or pass through the UK, arriving from elsewhere in Europe.
– Ongoing surveillance, reporting and control measures continue to prevent re-establishment as a breeding population.
– The tiny number of wintering stragglers poses minimal ecological risk.
So in conclusion, while not fully eradicated, ruddy ducks no longer exist as a viable breeding population in the UK and this situation is highly unlikely to change in the future.