The Ruddy Duck male is quite noticeable with it blue bill in the breeding season. They are also easy to spot because their tail is usually standing straight up which is probably why they are classified as a "stifftail". These ducks are fairly common in the Bay Area in the winter, but you can still see some year round because we do have some breeding here.

They are divers and swim underwater. They eat seeds and roots of aquatic plants, aquatic insects, and crustaceans.