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Lifespan, longevity, and ageing

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Maximum longevity: 22.7 years (wild)
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Trophic Strategy

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Long-tailed ducks are generalists that consume a large variety of prey. Animal foods that are commonly eaten by long-tailed ducks include: crustaceans, mollusks, marine invertebrates, small fish, fish eggs, freshwater insects and insect larvae. Some plant material that is also consumed includes: algae, grasses, seeds and fruits in the tundra biome. Studies show that mature adults prefer marine animals. Specifically, they tend to eat blue muscles, Idotea baltica (isopods), northern lacuanas, and Amphipoda crustaceans which yield higher energy per gram of live mass than other available prey.

Mature adults typically forage diurnally, about 80% of the day, during the winter months. Usually, individuals dive with submerged times ranging from 25 to 60 s and pick epibenthos within 100 m of the shore. Since long-tailed ducks are relatively small when compared to their marine Anatidae counterparts, they must maintain a particular diet for physiological and thermoregulatory purposes.

Long-tailed ducks have several physical characteristics that make them successful predators. First, they have chisel-shaped bills that curve at the tip which would help grab epibenthos prey from their substrates. Second, long-tailed ducks have smaller bills, allowing them to efficiently pick small, motile crustaceans. Finally, the body shape and structure of mature adults aids in diving and agility in water, giving individuals a powerful advantage over their primarily cursorial or sessile prey.

Animal Foods: fish; eggs; insects; mollusks; terrestrial worms; aquatic crustaceans; echinoderms; other marine invertebrates

Plant Foods: leaves; seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit; algae

Primary Diet: carnivore (Eats other marine invertebrates)

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Attaar, S. 2012. "Clangula hyemalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Clangula_hyemalis.html
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Sakina Attaar, The College of New Jersey
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Matthew Wund, The College of New Jersey
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Rachelle Sterling, Special Projects
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Catherine Kent, Special Projects
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Associations

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Long-tailed ducks are most vulnerable to predation on land: newly hatched ducklings, freshly laid eggs and molted, flightless adults have the highest mortality rates. Females camouflage their nests and lay eggs close to the water so when ducklings hatch, the dangerous journey to the water is shortened. Males remain on breeding grounds while females lay eggs to help defend the nest from predation. Newly molted males and females stay in flocks in an attempt to lessen the chance of mortality just as ducklings travel in large creches before their fall migration.

Avian predators of long-tailed ducks include mew gulls, glaucous gulls, and jaegers. In coastal breeding grounds, Arctic foxes are common predators. When long-tailed ducks mate further inland, near freshwater lakes, red foxes become serious predators.

Known Predators:

  • mew gulls (Larus canus)
  • glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus)
  • parasitic jaegers (Stercorarius parasiticus)
  • Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus)
  • red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

Anti-predator Adaptations: cryptic

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Attaar, S. 2012. "Clangula hyemalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Clangula_hyemalis.html
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Sakina Attaar, The College of New Jersey
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Matthew Wund, The College of New Jersey
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Catherine Kent, Special Projects
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Morphology

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Long-tailed ducks are mid-sized birds with long, dark tails and gray legs and feet. The species received its common name from the two long and slender tail-feathers that extend behind adult males. Plumage coloration and general size vary between adult males and females. While adult drakes range in size from 48 to 58 cm long, adult hens are between 38 and 43 cm long. Adult males weigh approximately 0.91 to 1.13 kg and adult females weigh about 0.68 to 0.91 kg. Long-tailed ducks of both sexes shift between three distinct plumages and adult males display an additional alternate plumage in the winter.

In the winter, adult males are white on their crowns, necks and throats that extend down to the breast. The white throat contrasts sharply with a large, black breast-band. Males also feature a gray patch surrounding their eyes, and a black patch that extends from their ears. Bills are dark with a pinkish band across the middle. Their bellies and undertail coverts are white. They exhibit black tail-feathers, rumps and backs. Wings are black with white scapulars at the base. Winter females have white faces, necks, and throats with brown crowns and brown ear patches. They also feature a broad breast-band, but it is brown in color. Their backs, wings and tails are also brown, while their bellies and undertail coverts are white. Females' bills are a dark blueish gray.

Range mass: 0.68 to 1.13 kg.

Range length: 38.1 to 58.4 cm.

Average wingspan: 70 cm.

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry

Sexual Dimorphism: male larger; sexes colored or patterned differently

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Attaar, S. 2012. "Clangula hyemalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Clangula_hyemalis.html
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Sakina Attaar, The College of New Jersey
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Matthew Wund, The College of New Jersey
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Catherine Kent, Special Projects
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Life Expectancy

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The average lifespan of long-tailed ducks is 15.3 years. A single case of an adult male reaching the age of 22 years in the wild has been reported. No extensive studies on lifespan in captivity have been conducted. Several studies suggest that longevity is linked to food availability, stable environment, absence of disease and toxic materials such as lead and mercury.

Average nesting success is 30% in long-tailed ducks and on average, 10% of ducklings survive to 30 days old. Duckling survival, however, is highly variable to location of breeding and fluctuations in breeding environment. Average survival post-nesting for females is approximately 74%.

Range lifespan
Status: wild:
22.7 (high) years.

Average lifespan
Status: wild:
15.3 years.

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Attaar, S. 2012. "Clangula hyemalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Clangula_hyemalis.html
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Sakina Attaar, The College of New Jersey
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Matthew Wund, The College of New Jersey
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Rachelle Sterling, Special Projects
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Catherine Kent, Special Projects
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Habitat

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Long-tailed ducks reside in a variety of habitats. Generally, they winter in the open ocean or large lakes and summer in pools or lakes in the tundra. They prefer to breed in habitats that provide both an aquatic and terrestrial environment in close proximity, for example: marshy grass tundra in the Arctic, deltas, promontories, coastal inlets and offshore islands are all suitable. Habitat mosaics with damp depressions such as bogs and pools of standing water are also popular breeding sites. A study of summer distributions of long-tailed ducks as well as related species found that shallow water habitats are preferred when individuals are molting. This may be because molting individuals require protection from predation and environmental elements such as wind, waves and ice while still having a constant and abundant food source. Non-breeding long-tailed ducks reside far offshore in fresh estuarine, saline, or brackish waters. Though rare, they can be found wintering on large and deep freshwater lakes.

Habitat Regions: temperate ; polar ; terrestrial ; saltwater or marine ; freshwater

Terrestrial Biomes: tundra ; taiga

Aquatic Biomes: pelagic ; lakes and ponds; coastal ; brackish water

Wetlands: marsh ; bog

Other Habitat Features: estuarine

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Attaar, S. 2012. "Clangula hyemalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Clangula_hyemalis.html
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Sakina Attaar, The College of New Jersey
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Matthew Wund, The College of New Jersey
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Rachelle Sterling, Special Projects
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Catherine Kent, Special Projects
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Distribution

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Long-tailed ducks have a fairly large range compared to other waterfowl. Its biogeographic range, including breeding and non-breeding seasons, has been estimated to include 10,800,000 km2. Long-tailed ducks are residents of the circumpolar region and are regularly found breeding on the Arctic coasts of Canada, Alaska, United States of America, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Russia. They winter further south in the United Kingdom, North America, Korea and on the Black and Caspian Seas.

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native ); palearctic (Native ); oriental (Native ); arctic ocean (Native ); atlantic ocean (Native ); pacific ocean (Native )

Other Geographic Terms: holarctic

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Attaar, S. 2012. "Clangula hyemalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Clangula_hyemalis.html
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Sakina Attaar, The College of New Jersey
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Matthew Wund, The College of New Jersey
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Rachelle Sterling, Special Projects
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Catherine Kent, Special Projects
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Associations

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Long-tailed ducks are important predators of crustaceans, mollusks, marine invertebrates and small fish in holarctic regions. Long-tailed ducks are also a significant food source for avian predators, such as gulls and jaegers, and terrestrial predators, such as roving dogs and foxes. They are vulnerable to diseases including recorded cases of avian botulism, avian influenza and avian cholera. Few studies have investigated parasitic, commensal or mutualistic relationships of long-tailed ducks.

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Attaar, S. 2012. "Clangula hyemalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Clangula_hyemalis.html
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Sakina Attaar, The College of New Jersey
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Matthew Wund, The College of New Jersey
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Rachelle Sterling, Special Projects
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Catherine Kent, Special Projects
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Benefits

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Long-tailed ducks help regulate populations of prey species including insects, mollusks and crustaceans. The species is hunted for sport in Denmark. Eggs and adults are part of the traditional diet of some Inuit communities.

Positive Impacts: food

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Attaar, S. 2012. "Clangula hyemalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Clangula_hyemalis.html
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Sakina Attaar, The College of New Jersey
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Matthew Wund, The College of New Jersey
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Catherine Kent, Special Projects
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Benefits

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There are no known direct adverse effects of long-tailed ducks on humans.

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Attaar, S. 2012. "Clangula hyemalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Clangula_hyemalis.html
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Sakina Attaar, The College of New Jersey
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Matthew Wund, The College of New Jersey
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Rachelle Sterling, Special Projects
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Catherine Kent, Special Projects
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Conservation Status

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Clangula hyemalis is the sole species of its genus, and thus is an interesting organism to study and protect. Although multiple references claim long-tailed ducks are the most prolific species of sea duck, population estimates are often unreliable and cursory. Though long-tailed ducks are fairly abundant, have a large geographic distribution and consume various animal and plant matter, estimated populations levels have been decreasing slightly over the last decade. In North America, the long-tailed duck population has declined by almost half in the last three decades. Because of wetland habitat degradation through petroleum pollution, drainage and peat extraction, important breeding sites for mature adults are being destroyed. There have also been reported cases of mortality from lead, mercury and oil pollution as well as entanglement in fishing nets. Long-tailed duck populations recently suffered significant losses because of an outbreak of avian cholera. Individuals are also believed to be susceptible to avian influenza. Currently, it is estimated that 6,200,000 to 6,800,000 mature individuals populate the arctic region.

US Migratory Bird Act: protected

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

State of Michigan List: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

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Attaar, S. 2012. "Clangula hyemalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Clangula_hyemalis.html
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Sakina Attaar, The College of New Jersey
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Matthew Wund, The College of New Jersey
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Rachelle Sterling, Special Projects
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Catherine Kent, Special Projects
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Behavior

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Long-tailed ducks have an extensive variation of calls that are used primarily for intra-species communication. A fairly vocal species in the Anatidae family, long-tailed ducks can make a variety of growling, clucking, squawking, and yodeling sounds. The calls of individuals have been described as guttural or nasal and are audible across fairly large distances. When mother long-tailed ducks lead their progeny to the nearest water sources, they use specific calls as cues for the young to dive in unison. Calls are also an integral part of mating. Males use a series of four or five calls in deep notes to advertise availability for mating. Females emit single calls or growls to acknowledge potential mates or respond to initial calls from males.

During the breeding season, males confront competitors through calls, physical contact, chases and visual cues such as spreading wings and tilting heads upward. Females defend young by spreading wings and splashing water, possibly to draw attention away from the vulnerable young individuals. Like most ducks, long-tailed ducks perceive their environment through visual, auditory, tactile and chemical stimuli.

Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic

Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical

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Attaar, S. 2012. "Clangula hyemalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Clangula_hyemalis.html
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Sakina Attaar, The College of New Jersey
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Matthew Wund, The College of New Jersey
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Catherine Kent, Special Projects
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Untitled

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The common name “long-tailed duck” is synonymous with “oldsquaw,” a term used primarily in older texts. “Long-tailed duck” was adopted instead and the preferred classification of this species changed from Harelda to Clangula.

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Attaar, S. 2012. "Clangula hyemalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Clangula_hyemalis.html
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Sakina Attaar, The College of New Jersey
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Matthew Wund, The College of New Jersey
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Rachelle Sterling, Special Projects
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Catherine Kent, Special Projects
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Reproduction

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Like most members of the Anatidae family, long-tailed ducks are socially monogamous. Long-tailed ducks may breed in single pairs or loose groups. Breeding pairs can form as early as individuals reach the breeding grounds. Pairs can re-form for several years or individuals may select new mates each mating season. Breeding may be initiated before spring breeding plumage develops, but in most cases, breeding occurs after.

Long-tailed ducks engage in an elaborate courtship process, though sexual selection has only been studied superficially. Males will approach available females with an upright tail and bill held outwards, a few inches from the surface of the water. When closer to his potential mate, the male will bow and then pull his head back with his bill held upward. As he is lowering his head, he will emit calls. A series of four or five calls with deep notes have been observed. These calls often attract other males and they often physically fight and chase each other for the available female. Females call in response to initial calls from the males and hold their head close to their body to indicate availability. Females will then lead males to a mating location.

Mating System: monogamous

Breeding can begin as early as May, but varies depending on the location of the breeding ground and the presence of mates. Long-tailed ducks can begin mating as early as their second year after birth. They mate near open water, either freshwater or marine, and try to nest on dry ground hidden among rocks or under plant growth. Nests are bowl-shaped and constructed by the female. They consist of nearby grasses and females pluck down from their own bodies to line the nest.

Females usually lay 6 to 8 eggs: on average, laying one egg per day. Clutch sizes of up to 17 have been recorded, but this is likely the result brood parasitism as some females will lay eggs in other's nests. Females will raise one brood per season, but can lay eggs several times if unsuccessful. Since fall migration occurs relatively late, long-tailed ducks have a long breeding season and can attempt raising a brood several times. Once eggs are laid, the incubation period lasts from 24 to 30 days. Young ducklings remain in the nest until they fledge after 35 to 40 days. The fledglings form groups of 3 to 4 broods that are tended by older females.

Breeding interval: Long-tailed ducks breed once yearly.

Breeding season: Breeding usually occurs between May and July.

Range eggs per season: 5 to 11.

Range time to hatching: 24 to 30 days.

Range fledging age: 35 to 40 days.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 2 (high) years.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 2 (high) years.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; oviparous

While eggs are being laid, the male will reside in the open water and help defend the nest. During the incubation period between late June and early September, the male will leave and begin molting. The newly laid eggs are then incubated and defended by the female for 24 to 30 days. Although newly hatched young can feed themselves, they are fed and closely tended by their mother. When the young begin walking, the mother leads her brood over to the water and teaches them to dive for food. First flight can occur anywhere between 35 to 40 days old. Anywhere between August and October, the mothers will leave their young to molt and ducklings will gather into large groups in and around the water. These groups are often tended by slightly older females.

According to a study of body mass dynamics in adult females during incubation, females lose proportionately less mass and rely less on endogenous reserves to lay and incubate eggs than other diving ducks. Specifically, females lose approximately 7% of their mass during incubation: average weight is 618 g at clutch completion and then drops down to 575 g at hatching. Because females are relatively smaller than other waterfowl breeding in the tundra and have access to high-quality nutrients, long-tailed ducks are able to maintain high nesting attendance rates and constant incubation without losing too much of their endogenous reserves.

Parental Investment: precocial ; female parental care ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female)

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Attaar, S. 2012. "Clangula hyemalis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Clangula_hyemalis.html
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Sakina Attaar, The College of New Jersey
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Matthew Wund, The College of New Jersey
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Rachelle Sterling, Special Projects
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Catherine Kent, Special Projects
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Clangula hyemalis

provided by DC Birds Brief Summaries

Although not quite as large or as white as the eiders (genus Somateria), the winter Long-tailed Duck (16 1/2 inches, females; 21 inches, males) is nonetheless one of the Northern Hemisphere’s paler species of sea ducks. During that part of the year, male Long-tailed Ducks have a white head and body with black wings, black tail, and black cheek patch, while females are pale gray-brown overall. In summer, however, both sexes of Long-tailed Duck become much darker, with the male loosing much of the white on its head and body. At all seasons, the Long-tailed Duck may be separated from other ducks in its range and habitat by its slim body, small head, and (in the male) long tail. The Long-tailed Duck inhabits large areas of the Northern Hemisphere. In North America, this species breeds from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska east to eastern Quebec and from the high Arctic south to the Hudson Bay. In winter, Long-tailed Ducks may be found along the Pacific coast from southern Alaska to Washington, in the southern part of the Hudson Bay, along the Atlantic coast from Newfoundland to Virginia, and on the Great Lakes. In the Old World, this species breeds in Greenland, Iceland, Northern Europe, and Russia, wintering south to Britain and northern Japan. In summer, Long-tailed Ducks breed on small ponds in tundra wetlands. During winter and on migration, this species may be found in offshore waters and on large freshwater lakes. The diet of the Long-tailed Duck varies by season; in summer, this species eats insects, crustaceans, and plant matter, while fish and mollusks play a larger role in winter. Due to the relative inaccessibility of their breeding grounds, most birdwatchers never observe Long-tailed Ducks during the summer months. They are much more accessible in winter and during migration, when they may be observed in small flocks offshore with the help of a powerful spotting scope. This species is primarily active during the day.

Threat Status: Vulnerable

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Reid Rumelt

Clangula hyemalis

provided by EOL authors

Although not quite as large or as white as the eiders (genusSomateria), the winter Long-tailed Duck (16 1/2 inches, females; 21 inches, males) is nonetheless one of the Northern Hemisphere’s paler species of sea ducks. During that part of the year, male Long-tailed Ducks have a white head and body with black wings, black tail, and black cheek patch, while females are pale gray-brown overall. In summer, however, both sexes of Long-tailed Duck become much darker, with the male loosing much of the white on its head and body. At all seasons, the Long-tailed Duck may be separated from other ducks in its range and habitat by its slim body, small head, and (in the male) long tail. The Long-tailed Duck inhabits large areas of the Northern Hemisphere. In North America, this species breeds from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska east to eastern Quebec and from the high Arctic south to the Hudson Bay. In winter, Long-tailed Ducks may be found along the Pacific coast from southern Alaska to Washington, in the southern part of the Hudson Bay, along the Atlantic coast from Newfoundland to Virginia, and on the Great Lakes. In the Old World, this species breeds in Greenland, Iceland, Northern Europe, and Russia, wintering south to Britain and northern Japan. In summer, Long-tailed Ducks breed on small ponds in tundra wetlands. During winter and on migration, this species may be found in offshore waters and on large freshwater lakes. The diet of the Long-tailed Duck varies by season; in summer, this species eats insects, crustaceans, and plant matter, while fish and mollusks play a larger role in winter. Due to the relative inaccessibility of their breeding grounds, most birdwatchers never observe Long-tailed Ducks during the summer months. They are much more accessible in winter and during migration, when they may be observed in small flocks offshore with the help of a powerful spotting scope. This species is primarily active during the day.

References

  • Clangula hyemalis. Xeno-canto. Xeno-canto Foundation, n.d. Web. 20 July 2012.
  • Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis). The Internet Bird Collection. Lynx Edicions, n.d. Web. 20 July 2012. .
  • Robertson, Gregory J. and Jean-Pierre L. Savard. 2002. Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/651
  • eBird Range Map - Long-tailed Duck. eBird. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, N.d. Web. 20 July 2012.

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Rumelt, Reid B. Clangula hyemalis. June-July 2012. Brief natural history summary of Clangula hyemalis. Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C.
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Robert Costello (kearins)
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Long-tailed duck

provided by wikipedia EN

The long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis), formerly known as the oldsquaw, is a medium-sized sea duck that breeds in the tundra and taiga regions of the arctic and winters along the northern coastlines of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is the only member of the genus Clangula.

Taxonomy

The long-tailed duck was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae. He placed it with all the other ducks in the genus Anas and coined the binomial name Anas hyemalis.[2] Linnaeus cited the English naturalist George Edwards's description and illustration of the "Long-tailed duck from Hudson's-Bay" that had been published in 1750 in the third volume of his A Natural History of Uncommon Birds.[3] This duck is now the only species placed in the genus Clangula that was introduced in 1819 to accommodate the long-tailed duck by the English zoologist William Leach in an appendix to John Ross's account of his voyage to look for the Northwest Passage.[4][5][6] The genus name Clangula is a diminutive of the Latin clangere meaning "to resound". The specific epithet hyemalis is Latin meaning "of winter".[7] The species is considered to be monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.[6]

In North American English it is sometimes called oldsquaw, though this name has fallen out of favour. Some biologists have also feared that this name would be offensive to some Native American tribes involved in the conservation effort.[8][9][10][11][12] The American Ornithologists' Union stated that "political correctness" was not sufficient to change the name, but "to conform with English usage in other parts of the world", it officially adopted the name "Long-tailed Duck".[13]

An undescribed congener is known from the Middle Miocene Sajóvölgyi Formation (Late Badenian, 13–12 Mya) of Mátraszőlős, Hungary.[14]

Distribution

Long-tailed ducks breed in tundra across northern Eurasia (in Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland) and across northern North America (Alaska and northern Canada). In winter, they are found in large bodies of water, such as the North Pacific Ocean, the North Atlantic Ocean, and the Great Lakes.

Description

In flight

Adults have white underparts, though the rest of the plumage goes through a complex moulting process. The male has a long pointed tail (10 to 15 cm (3.9 to 5.9 in) long) and a dark grey bill crossed by a pink band. In winter, the male has a dark cheek patch on a mainly white head and neck, a dark breast and mostly white body. In summer, the male is dark on the head, neck and back with a white cheek patch. The female has a brown back and a relatively short pointed tail. In winter, the female's head and neck are white with a dark crown. In summer, the head is dark. Juveniles resemble adult females in autumn plumage, though with a lighter, less distinct cheek patch.

The males are vocal and have a musical yodelling call ow, ow, owal-ow.

Behaviour

Mother and six ducklings in Iceland

Breeding

Their breeding habitat is in tundra pools and marshes, but also along sea coasts and in large mountain lakes in the North Atlantic region, Alaska, northern Canada, northern Europe, and Russia. The nest is located on the ground near water; it is built using vegetation and lined with down. They are migratory and winter along the eastern and western coasts of North America, on the Great Lakes, coastal northern Europe and Asia, with stragglers to the Black Sea. The most important wintering area is the Baltic Sea, where a total of about 4.5 million gather. As of 2022 it has also been breeding in parts of Western Europe, such as on the Marker Wadden in The Netherlands.

Food and feeding

The long-tailed duck is gregarious, forming large flocks in winter and during migration. They feed by diving for mollusks, crustaceans and some small fish. Although they usually feed close to the surface, they are capable of diving to depths of 60 m (200 ft). According to the Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds they can dive to 80 fathoms (146 meters or 480 feet). They are the only ducks that use their wings to dive, which gives them the ability to dive much deeper than other ducks.

Status

The long-tailed duck is still hunted across a large part of its range. There has been a significant decline in the number of birds wintering in the Baltic Sea, partly due to their susceptibility to being trapped in gillnets. For these reasons the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has categorised the long-tailed duck as vulnerable.[1] It is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.[17]

References

  1. ^ a b BirdLife International (2018). "Clangula hyemalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22680427A132528200. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22680427A132528200.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. ^ Linnaeus, Carl (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1 (10th ed.). Holmiae (Stockholm): Laurentii Salvii. p. 126.
  3. ^ Edwards, George (1750). A Natural History of Uncommon Birds. Vol. Part III. London: Printed for the author at the College of Physicians. p. 156 Plates 156.
  4. ^ Leach, William Elford (1819). Ross, John (ed.). A Voyage of Discovery made under the orders of the Admiralty in her Majesty's ships Isabella and Alexander, for the purpose of exploring Baffin's Bay, and enquiring into the probability of a North-West passage. London: John Murray. Appendix II, p. 48.
  5. ^ Mayr, Ernst; Cottrell, G. William, eds. (1979). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 1 (2nd ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 492.
  6. ^ a b Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2021). "Screamers, ducks, geese & swans". IOC World Bird List Version 11.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  7. ^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 110, 197. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
  8. ^ Though squaw originated as a word simply meaning "young woman" in the Massachusett and related Algonquian languages, it is now considered offensive by many Native Americans and is labelled as such in modern dictionaries.
  9. ^ "Secretary Haaland Takes Action to Remove Derogatory Names from Federal Lands" (Press release). U.S. Department of the Interior. 19 November 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2021. Secretarial Order 3404 formally identifies the term "squaw" as derogatory and creates a federal task force to find replacement names for geographic features on federal lands bearing the term. The term has historically been used as an offensive ethnic, racial, and sexist slur, particularly for Indigenous women.
  10. ^ Vowel, Chelsea (2016). "Just Don't Call Us Late for Supper - Names for Indigenous Peoples". Indigenous Writes: A Guide to First Nations, Métis & Inuit Issues in Canada. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada: Highwater Press. p. 7. ISBN 978-1553796800. Let's just agree the following words are never okay to call Indigenous peoples: savage, red Indian, redskin, primitive, half-breed, squaw/brave/papoose.
  11. ^ National Museum of the American Indian (2007). Do All Indians Live in Tipis?. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-115301-3.
  12. ^ Mathias, Fern (December 2006). "SQUAW - Facts on the Eradication of the "S" Word". Western North Carolina Citizens For An End To Institutional Bigotry. American Indian Movement, Southern California Chapter. Archived from the original on 2002-08-02. Retrieved 2018-01-04. Through communication and education American Indian people have come to understand the derogatory meaning of the word. American Indian women claim the right to define ourselves as women and we reject the offensive term squaw.
  13. ^ American Ornithologists' Union (2000). "Forty-second supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds". The Auk. 117 (3): 847–858. doi:10.1642/0004-8038(2000)117[0847:fsstta]2.0.co;2.
  14. ^ Gál, Erika; Hír, János; Kessler, Eugén; Kókay, József (1998–1999). "Középsõ-miocén õsmaradványok, a Mátraszõlõs, Rákóczi-kápolna alatti útbevágásból. I. A Mátraszõlõs 1. lelõhely" [Middle Miocene fossils from the sections at the Rákóczi chapel at Mátraszőlős. Locality Mátraszõlõs I.] (PDF). Folia Historico Naturalia Musei Matraensis (in Hungarian). 23: 33–78. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2007-02-06.
  15. ^ Godfrey, W. Earl (1966). The Birds of Canada. Ottawa: National Museum of Canada. p. 72.
  16. ^ Sibley, David Allen (2000). The Sibley Guide to Birds. New York: Knopf. p. 97. ISBN 0-679-45122-6.
  17. ^ "Species". Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA). Retrieved 14 November 2021.

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Long-tailed duck: Brief Summary

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The long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis), formerly known as the oldsquaw, is a medium-sized sea duck that breeds in the tundra and taiga regions of the arctic and winters along the northern coastlines of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is the only member of the genus Clangula.

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Distribution

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North America; Oceania; range extends from Labrador to northern Florida

Reference

North-West Atlantic Ocean species (NWARMS)

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Kennedy, Mary [email]