Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Patient of the Week: Ruddy Duck

A Wawa parking lot is not exactly an ideal landing spot for a migrating duck!

Late one night, witnesses watched this Ruddy Duck crash-land in a Wawa parking lot and quickly brought him to us for care.

Fortunately, after a thorough examination, our team found no significant injuries.

Once we confirmed he was healthy and his feathers were properly waterproofed, he was cleared for release!

Ruddy Ducks are small, compact diving ducks with thick necks and distinctive stiff tails. They breed primarily in the central United States and Canada during the summer and spend their winters in wetlands and coastal areas farther south. Many are migrating through our region right now, often traveling at night.

Unfortunately, wet, rain-slicked pavement can resemble a body of water from above, especially in the dark. This can cause migrating waterbirds to mistakenly land in parking lots or on roads.

For diving ducks, landing on pavement can be especially dangerous.

Like loons and grebes, Ruddy Ducks have legs positioned far back on their bodies, making them excellent swimmers but awkward on land.

Unlike many other birds, they generally need a running start across the water’s surface to become airborne. Once stranded on pavement, they may be unable to take off on their own.

If you find a diving duck stranded on a road or in a parking lot, please contact a permitted wildlife rehabilitator right away.

Even if the bird appears uninjured, it may be unable to take off from pavement on its own, and a crash landing can cause injuries that aren’t immediately visible.

Thankfully, this little duck’s story has a happy ending!

He was released later that same day onto a river near where he was found, where he could safely return to the water and continue his journey south.

Safe travels, little guy!

Looking for an easy way to help native wildlife? Become a monthly BRWC donor! For as little as $5/month, you can provide year-round, sustainable support that helps us fulfill our mission.