These are both images of Male Ruddy Ducks, one in breeding plumage and one nonbreeding. I photographed the one in breeding colors in June and the nonbreeding one in October. What a difference a few months make! The breeding Male has a chestnut body and bright blue bill and the non breeding Male looks like a different breed of duck. These small diving ducks are very curious and photogenic. Sometimes their pointy tail is above the water and sometimes it lays flat on the water’s surface. These little ducks spend most of their life in the water and tend to dive below the water’s surface instead of flying to avoid predators.