>Somewhere I read that Ruddy Ducks introduced somewhere in Spain (?)
>are threatening the status of a native population of another oxyurine
>duck, because Ruddy males are mating with the Spanish oxyurine females
>quite frequently (more so than the natives, I think). Whether this is
>attributable to females choosing the Ruddies because of their stunning
>good looks (or other attributes), or the Ruddies being more agressive
>than the native males I don't recall.

>From the story I just heard, introduced Ruddies have become common in the
British Isles, and they are afraid they are going to cross the channel and
threaten (with genetic swamping) the White-headed Duck, a European species
that is rare already. So they are initiating a control program on Ruddies
in the UK, perhaps even by shooting them. Pretty amazing the "management"
tangles we get ourselves into.

Dennis Paulson phone: (206) 756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416