Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index Stiff-tailed Ducks Female Blue-billed Duck. Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Anseriformes Family†: Anatidae Genera Oxyura † For other ducks, see also: Anatidae The stiff-tailed ducks are part of the Oxyurinae subfamily of ducks. All have, as their name implies, long stiff tail feathers, which are erected when the bird is at rest. All have relatively large swollen bills. These are freshwater diving ducks. Their legs are set far back, making them awkward on land, so they rarely leave the water. Their unusual displays involve drumming noises from inflatable throat-sacs, head throwing, and erecting short crests. Plumage sequences are complicated, and aging difficult. the six species are: Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis Masked Duck Oxyura dominica White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala Maccoa Duck Oxyura maccoa Argentine Blue-bill Oxyura vittata Blue-billed Duck Oxyura australis This article is from Wikipedia. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.