| White-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala) |
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The information provided here is extracted from the national reports provided by the Contracting Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (also known as Bern Convention) to the Group of Experts on Conservation of Birds. Some additional information (marked in red) comes from other sources such as the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans. |
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| Population status |
| Albania | Lamani (1960) reports the species as vary rare winter visitor. The last observation comes from Karavasta lagoon during winter 1995. |
| Population size | Population/range | Season status | |
| - | - | irregular non-breeding visitor |
| Bulgaria | Protected |
| Population size | Population/range | Season status | |
| Non-breeding visitor |
| Croatia | never recorded in 20th century |
| Population size | Population/range | Season status | |
| - | - | Nationaly extinct |
| Hungary | The species used to breed in Hungary until 1960. After that it became a vagrant. The number of records is slightly increasing with records almost annually. |
| Population size | Population/range | Season status | |
| - | Slight increase | Vagrant |
| Romania | No longer breeding (last 4 birds seen during breeding season in Danube delta in 1986). Increasing numbers winter/migrate through. The main wintering site is Techirghiol. |
| Population size | Population/range | Season status | |
| 800 individuals | Increasing | Non-breeding visitor |
| Spain | In Spain, White-headed Duck breeds in ponds of Ciudad Real, Toledo, Alicante, Almería, Málaga, Córdoba, Cádiz, Huelva, Sevilla and Balearic Islands. Most of the breeding sites for the species are located in Andalucía. The species was almost extinct in 1977 when only 22 individuals Since then, there has been a clear increase, but with important fluctuations. The drought of the beginning of the 90's had a clear effect over O. leucocephala abundances. The September 2000 census gave an estimation of 4,489 individuals, which represents the highest level of abundance recorded so far. However the results of 2001 indicated an important reduction in comparison with 2000. The species is present in 78 wetlands The largest population is located in Andalucia. With respect to reproduction status, it has bred in 26 wetlands. 98 reproductive females have been documented and 385 chicks. In 2001 the situation has decreased to previous levels. Again, the cause is an important decrease in El Hondo chicks (just 18). However, something has happened in El Hondo but is not clear what. |
| Population size | Population/range | Season status | |
| 2678 individuals (Sept. 2001) | Increasing | Resident |
| Sweden | The White-headed Duck O. leucocephala is not part of the Swedish bird fauna. In all there have been about 50 observations of Ruddy Dck O. jamaicensis. Breeding has been established at two occasions. |
| Population size | Population/range | Season status | |
| - | White-headed Duck: no records. Ruddy Duck: 50 records and 2 breeding events |
| Switzerland | The White-headed Duck is a vagrant in Switzerland with less than 10 observations of single birds during the last twenty years. However, the Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis is observed annually with birds staying over weeks and months in one area without breeding yet. |
| Population size | Population/range | Season status | |
| - | OJ Non-breeding visitor |
| Turkey |
| Population size | Population/range | Season status | |
| Resident, non-breeding visitor |
| United Kingdom | Ruddy ducks are a North American species imported into wildfowl collections in the United Kingdom. Some birds escaped from these collections and formed a free flying population that now numbers around 4,000 birds |
| Population size | Population/range | Season status | |
| ca. 4000 individuals | Ruddy Duck Resident |
| Legal protection, establishment of protected areas and planning conservation activities |
| Albania | Legal protection: Protected by the Law No. 7875 (23/11/1994) and by the respective Hunting Regulation No. 2 (23/07/1995) prepared and approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Establishment of protected areas: 60% of potential wintering sites are Protected Areas National/Regional action plan: Action plan is planned according to the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (1999), |
| Bulgaria | Legal protection: Protected by the Act on Protection of Nature No. 342/21.04.1986 Establishment of protected areas: 20-30% of the wintering population is within protected areas National/Regional action plan: Yes, adopted by the Ministry of Environment and Water |
| Croatia | Legal protection: Protected Establishment of protected areas: - National/Regional action plan: |
| Hungary | Legal protection: Strictly protected Establishment of protected areas: Most former breeding sites and recent sites of occurrence are protected. National/Regional action plan: No |
| Romania | Legal protection: Legal protection against killing for all Globally Threatened Species was adopted in parliament (103/1996 law) and penalties for illegal killing were increased (H.G.654/2001) but still the value of penalties was remained low. Establishment of protected areas: The main wintering site, Techirghiol, is not protected National/Regional action plan: |
| Spain | Legal protection: Classified as 'Endangered' since 1990 in the National Catalogue of Threatened Species (Royal Decree No. 439/90). Classified as 'Endangered' since 1998 in the regional catalogue of Castilla-La Mancha (Decree No. 33/98). Hunting is forbidden since 1973. Legally protected from 1977 (RD No. 2573/1977) Establishment of protected areas: 75% of total population occurs in protected areas National/Regional action plan: Since the species is classified as 'Endangered' in National and Regional Catalogues, the implementation of recovery plans by Autonomous Authorities of the regions where the species is present is compulsory. So far, only Castilla La Mancha has a Recovery plan officially approved (Decree No. 183/1995) although in other Communities there aret preliminary drafts plans. Finally, to coordinate all conservation efforts carried out by different administrations and NGOs, there exists a Working Group on the O. leucocephala conservation, that provide general guidelines for its conservation, with representatives of Regional and National Administrations and experts of the species |
| Sweden | Legal protection: Establishment of protected areas: - National/Regional action plan: |
| Switzerland | Legal protection: Oxyura leucocephala is protected by law, O. jamaicensis can be hunted Establishment of protected areas: - National/Regional action plan: The Swiss Ornithological Institute and the SVS (BirdLife in Switzerland) have worked out a proposal for an overall strategy how to deal with introduced bird species in Switzerland. The draft of the strategy will be discussed with the federal authorities in 2002. It is proposed that all Ruddy Ducks occurring in Switzerland should be killed by hunting guards of the Cantons keeping in mind that the other waterbirds, especially in the nationally and internationally important sites and in the IBAs, should not be disturbed. |
| Turkey | Legal protection: Hunting was banned in 1984 all over the country Establishment of protected areas: The ratio of the protected areas for this species is approximately 80% of its total habitats National/Regional action plan: |
| United Kingdom | Legal protection: It has been an offence to release or allow to escape Ruddy ducks in Great Britain since 1981(Northern Ireland 1985). The UK Government has made a continuing effort to inform people of offences under section 14 regarding the release of non-indigenous species. Establishment of protected areas: - National/Regional action plan: |
| Implementation of the recommendations of the Bern convention |
| Albania | Rec 61 develop and implement without further delay national control programmes which could include eradication of the Ruddy Duck from all the countries in the Western Palaearctic. |
| Bulgaria | Rec 60 (17) Protect by the most appropriate means the Uzungeren Bay Two wardens have been assigned in 2000 for Durankulak and Shabla lakes protected areas. Management plans for Shabla Lake, Durankulak Lake and Poda protected site have been prepared and are in the process of endorsement. The wardening of the Atanasovsko Lake and Poda protected site have been improved. The Bulgarian-Swiss biodiversity Conservation Programme carries out monitoring on the wintering of the species in the area of Burgas lakes. |
| Bulgaria | Rec 61 develop and implement without further delay national control programmes which could include eradication of the Ruddy Duck from all the countries in the Western Palaearctic. |
| Croatia | Rec 61 develop and implement without further delay national control programmes which could include eradication of the Ruddy Duck from all the countries in the Western Palaearctic. |
| Hungary | Rec 61 develop and implement without further delay national control programmes which could include eradication of the Ruddy Duck from all the countries in the Western Palaearctic. The Ruddy Duck is a vagrant in Hungary with only a few records. No planned eradication programme exists for the species since it is not a breeder and vagrants usually do not linger for longer than a day. Should the species attempt to nest in the country eradication of adults will be executed on a case by case basis. The species is not kept in relevant numbers in zoos (two birds known only in captivity), accidental escape is not likely. |
| Romania | Rec 61 develop and implement without further delay national control programmes which could include eradication of the Ruddy Duck from all the countries in the Western Palaearctic. |
| Spain | Rec 61 develop and implement without further delay national control programmes which could include eradication of the Ruddy Duck from all the countries in the Western Palaearctic. With respect to the control and eradication of Ruddy duck Oxyura jamaicensis, as stated in Recommendation 61 of the Bern Convention Standing Committee, . The Spanish view at this respect is that more information and interaction is needed between countries and also clearer eradication efforts, since the Ruddy Duck continues spreading.Since 1991 there are organised campaigns to eliminate pure O. jamaicensis and hybrid individuals. From 1991-1998, 58 pure O. jamaicensis individuals were eliminated, and 49 hybrids. More recently, from September 2000 to april 2001, 6 pure individuals and 2 hybrids were eliminated. From September 2001 to april 2002 11, all pure individuals, were eliminated. Last winter there was a significative increase of Ruddy Duck in Spain, however, elimination of detected individuals is very effective. Unfortunately an individula O.jamaicensis was located in the Balearic Islands, so these area con no longer be considered as a future pure genetic reservation zone. More coordination with other countries where O. jamaicensis is present is needed and also more information, especially from Morocco, where accurate data are lacking and that could act as a source of individuals reaching Spain. |
| Sweden | Rec 61 develop and implement without further delay national control programmes which could include eradication of the Ruddy Duck from all the countries in the Western Palaearctic. The international recommendations and requests for action concerning the Ruddy duck have made the government to introduce an open season throughout the whole year in order to allow the control of any individual observed. The new hunting period has been valid since July 2001 |
| Switzerland | Rec 61 develop and implement without further delay national control programmes which could include eradication of the Ruddy Duck from all the countries in the Western Palaearctic. The Swiss Ornithological Institute and the SVS (BirdLife in Switzerland) have worked out a proposal for an overall strategy how to deal with introduced bird species in Switzerland. The draft of the strategy will be discussed with the federal autorities in 2002. It is proposed that all Ruddy Ducks occuring in Switzerland should be killed by hunting guards of the Cantons keeping in mind that the other waterbirds, especially in the nationally and internationally important sites and in the IBAs, should not be disturbed. |
| Turkey | Rec 60 (19) extend the Ramsar boundaries of the Burdur Lake to include the whole wetland area, so as to prevent pollution and secure the sustainability of the natural ecosystem of the lake At Lake Burdur, which is an important wintering area for the species, with the combined efforts of the Burdur Municipality, the Fund for Game and Wildlife Protection and the General Directorate for National Parks, Hunting and Wildlife, the pressure of illegal hunting was greatly decreased. In April 1998, the whole of Burdur Lake was declared as Ramsar Site. |
| Turkey | Rec 61 develop and implement without further delay national control programmes which could include eradication of the Ruddy Duck from all the countries in the Western Palaearctic. |
| United Kingdom | Rec 61 develop and implement without further delay national control programmes which could include eradication of the Ruddy Duck from all the countries in the Western Palaearctic. Following earlier research, the UK commenced a ruddy duck control trial in 1999. The aims of this control trial are to establish whether it is feasible to eradicate ruddy ducks in Britain within ten years, to find out what the cost would be of such a larger control strategy and to assess the implications for landowners. The control trial is due to report on 30 June 2002.The total number of ruddy ducks culled as part of the control trial is just over 2,500 (the most recently published Wetland Bird Survey counts are for 1999/2000 and these found a minimum population of 4565 birds). It has been an offence to release or allow to escape ruddy ducks in Great Britain since 1981 (Northern Ireland 1985). The UK Government has made a continuing effort to inform people of offences under section 14 regarding the release of non-indigenous species. The UK is undertaking a review of the Bird Registration system in England and, depending on the results of the review, decisions on criteria for inclusion of species on Schedule 4 are expected be taken in the light of this review. |
| Conflicts and threats |
| Albania | Poaching is still a problem of concern because that might threaten the presence of the species. |
| Bulgaria | The studies of BSPB in 2001-2002 winters have shown an ncreased level of disturbance in the main wintering wetlands by fishermen |
| Croatia |
| Hungary | none |
| Romania |
| Spain | Current threats and limiting factors are: Introduction and hybridisation with the North American Ruddy Duck O. jamaicensis introduced into the United Kingdom in the 1950s and now spreading across the western paleartic (United Kingdom, Belgium, Holland, France) and even central Europe (some in Germany). In some of these countries there is not O. leucocephala and thus there are not clear eradication efforts of Ruddy Duck. Other limiting factors are: habitat loss (drainage of shallow lakes, wetlands degradation, exotic species introduction (as the Louisiana Crayfish Procambarus clarkii or carps, affecting White-headed Duck food supply), severe droughts, illegal hunting, botulism (8-10 individuals died in 2001 for this reason), or lead poisoning |
| Sweden |
| Switzerland |
| Turkey |
| United Kingdom |
| Other conservation and research activities |
| Albania | There is no special conservation work on the species. |
| Bulgaria | An international project of BirdLife partners on the Balkans was carried out in the winter season 2000-2002. The project covered important breeding and roosting sites in Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey and Romania and aimed at updating the available information and the conservation of the species. Poster and a sticker were produced as part of the public awareness activities. A workshop for the partners on the project was conducted in October 2001in Bulgaria with presentations and discussions on monitoring methods and goals The BSPB/BirdLife Bulgaria together with Mobicom Ltd. Produced a payphone card in 50,000 copies depicting the species and thus increasing the general public's knowledge about the species. |
| Croatia |
| Hungary | All records of this species as well as those of Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis are assessed and compiled by the Hungarian Rarities Committee. A reintroduction program was launched in the 1980s by MME (BirdLife in Hungary) although with no success. |
| Romania | Winter surveys were carried out in 2000 and 2001. |
| Spain | Control and eradication of Oxyura jamaicensis. Since 1991 there are organised campaigns to eliminate pure O. jamaicensis and hybrid individuals. From 1991-1998, 58 pure O. jamaicensis individuals were eliminated, and 49 hybrids. More recently, from September 2000 to April 2001 6 pure individuals and 2 hybrids were eliminated. From September 2001 to April 2002 11 pure individuals were eliminated. Last winter there was a significant increase of Ruddy Duck O. jamaicensis in Spain, however, the elimination of detected individuals is very effective. More coordination with other countries where O. jamaicensis is present is needed and also more information, especially from Morocco, where accurate data are lacking and that could act as a source of individuals reaching Spain. Since 1979 there has been a very effective conservation program of O. leucocephala in Doñana that also has an associated captive breeding program which has provided individuals to be released in the wild |
| Sweden | The international recommendations and requests for action concerning the Ruddy duck have made the government to introduce an open season throughout the whole year in order to allow the control of any individual observed. The new hunting period has been valid since July 2001. |
| Switzerland | At the moment no measures are taken from the side of the federal administration. |
| Turkey | At Lake Burdur, which is an important wintering area for the species, with the combined efforts of the Burdur Municipality, the Fund for Game and Wildlife Protection and the General Directorate for National Parks, Hunting and Wildlife, the pressure of illegal hunting was decreased on a great scale. In April 1998, the whole of Burdur Lake was declared as Ramsar Site. Moreover the Project of Wetlands Management Plan for Lake Burdur was prepared. As a result of the co-operation between the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Culture and the studies done at the site, Lake Burdur and its surroundings was declared as first degree Natural SIT Area |
| United Kingdom | Following earlier research, the UK commenced a Ruddy duck control trial in 1999. The aims of this control trial are to establish whether it is feasible to eradicate ruddy ducks in Britain within ten years, to find out what the cost would beof such a larger control strategy and to assess the implications for landowners. The control trial is due to report on 30 June 2002.The total number of Ruddy ducks culled as part of the control trial is just over 2,500 (the most recently published Wetland Bird Survey counts are for 1999/2000 and these found a minimum population of 4565 birds). It has been an offence to release or allow to escape ruddy ducks in Great Britain since 1981 (Northern Ireland 1985). The UK Government has made a continuing effort to inform people of offences under section 14 regarding the release of non-indigenous species. The UK is undertaking a review of the Bird Registration system in England and, depending on the results of the review, decisions on criteria for inclusion of species on Schedule 4 are expected be taken in the light of this review. |
| Source: The Standing Committee of the Bern Convention has created the Group of Experts on Conservation of Birds. The information provided here is from Government reports presented at a meeting of this group, held in Wageningen (NL) on 11-12 June 2002. |