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Photo by Tim Avery
Photo Copyright Tim Avery
Long-tailed Duck
Clangula hyemalis
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G5
State (S-rank): S1N
External links
General information
The long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis, is a sea duck that breeds in arctic and sub-arctic areas of the Northern Hemisphere. In North America, breeding occurs in Alaska and northern Canada, and primary wintering areas include the Great Lakes Region, as well as the coasts of Alaska, Canada, and the northern United States. The long-tailed duck is an occasional migrant through northern Utah in the late fall and early spring, and is a rare winter resident of the state. The long-tailed duck is hunted throughout much of its range, but few are taken in Utah.
The long-tailed duck is typically found near coasts, large inland lakes, and occasionally large rivers. It often nests in colonies; nests are constructed in vegetation on arctic tundra, usually near water. The female lays a clutch of five to eleven eggs; the eggs are incubated by the female alone for about 25 days. The young, which are tended by the female, become independent at about five weeks of age.
Fishes and aquatic invertebrates comprise the bulk of the diet, but aquatic plants are also consumed.
Species range
BREEDING: in North America, from northern coast of Alaska east across Canada to Ellesmere and Baffin Islands and northern Labrador south to southern and central Alaska, northwestern British Columbia, eastern and south-central MacKenzie and Keewatin, and Hudson and James Bays. In Palearctic from Greenland, Iceland, Spitsbergen, and Scandinavia east across Russia to Chukotski Peninsula, Anadyrland, Kamchatka, and the Commander Islands. NON-BREEDING: in North America, mainly on coasts from Aleutians to Washington and from northern Greenland to South Carolina; in the interior, primarily on the Great Lakes (AOU 1983). In winter the highest densities occur along the Aleutian Islands and in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence; other areas of abundance include Lake Michigan, the coast of Maine, Lake Ontario, and south-coastal British Columbia (Root 1988). In the early 1990s, USFWS Winter Sea Duck Survey in eastern North America found the highest densities in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Maine, and Maryland (Kehoe 1994).
Migration
Migrates northward to breeding grounds in March-April. Moves southward in fall, October-November (Terres 1980). Some that summer in northwestern Alaska spend the winter in eastern Asia. Passes through Bering Strait in large numbers in late April. Large numbers fly eastward to Beaufort Sea area breeding areas from western Alaska, some probably arrive from interior Alaska, others migrate from coastal British Columbia and/or Great Lakes region and arrive via Mackenzie Valley. Arrives along Beaufort Sea coast mid-May (in west) to early June (eastern part). In Beaufort Sea area, males and some nonbreeding females migrate in early summer to large lakes and coastal lagoons and form large molting flocks; remain through July and August (Johnson and Herter 1989). Fall migration in Beaufort Sea area begins with males in late August; females with broods move to coastal lagoons with freeze-up in September, begin migration late September or early October (Johnson and Herter 1989).
Habitat
NON-BREEDING: coastal waters (e.g., rough water of rocky coasts, deep but calm bays and coves), large inland lakes and (less commonly) rivers. BREEDING: on lake islands and by pools in open tundra and taiga. Nest usually concealed in vegetation. Nest site selection apparently influenced by predation pressure from foxes, gulls, ravens, and jaegers.
Food habits
Feeds mainly on animal food; eats crustaceans, fishes and their eggs, mollusks, and aquatic insects. Also eats a variety of aquatic plants (roots, leaves, buds, seeds). May dive very deep to obtain food (Bellrose 1976). Euphyllopods appear to be an especially important food source for ducklings. Individuals in summer molting flocks feed in nearshore waters on MYSIS, ONISIMUS, and bivalve mollusks (Johnson and Herter 1989).
Ecology
Nonbreeding: may form very large concentrations, but tends to occur in small offshore flocks (Atlantic Flyway, Kehoe 1994).
Reproductive characteristics
Breeding begins late May in south to June in north. Egg laying peaks late June-early July at Arctic Natl. Wildl. Ref. Clutch size often 5-11 (usually 6-8). Incubation 25-26 days, by female (male departs). Most eggs hatch in 2nd half of June in Beaufort Sea area. Nestlings precocial and downy. Young tended by female, independent in about 5 weeks (Harrison 1978). Does not breed until at least 2 years old. According to Bellrose (1980), nest success is around 70% and brood survival data are lacking. Frequently nests in clusters or colonies. Nests per sq km in northern Alaska: 0.6-1.8 in different areas (Johnson and Herter 1989).
Threats or limiting factors
Potentially vulnerable to oil spills, especially when concentrated in large flocks in non-breeding season. Small numbers killed by hunting or entangelement in fishing nets (Madge and Burns 1988), though potentially less susceptible to harvest than other species (Kehoe 1996). In the Atlantic Flyway, winter habitat has been affected by urbanization and industrialization, but effect on populations is unknown (Kehoe 1994).
References
- Biotics Database. 2005. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, NatureServe, and the network of Natural Heritage Programs and Conservation Data Centers.
- Peterson, R. T., and V. M. Peterson. 1990. A field guide to western birds, 3rd ed. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. 432 pp.
