Visual Search | Wizard | Browse
Bird name:
Home| Search| Browser| Expert| Forum| Store| My WhatBird| Help| Site Map

Harlequin Duck

Histrionicus histrionicusOrder: ANSERIFORMES Family: Geese and Ducks (Anatidae)
Codes: Common Name: HADU Scientific Name: HISHIS ITIS Taxonomic No.: 175149
Least Concern
 
Harlequin Duck: The male Harlequin Duck has a blue-gray head with a white triangle patch behind the bill and a black crown, blue-gray upperparts and underparts with chestnut flanks. The back, breast and neck have vivid black-bordered white bars. Tail is dark and relatively long.
Copyright © 2004 - 2008 Whatbird.com






Rate this Illustration: Excellent Very Good Good
Fair Below Avg Poor

Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips
Jelly Jar Jelly Feeder
The orange "blossum" replaces the lid of a jelly jar.
Attract Orioles with Fruit
Sliced orange secures easily to the center of the ring. Low cost.
Attract with Nectar
Hex shaped nectar feeds several Orioles. Nectar kept in fridge.
Charm and Attraction
Lovely copper umbrella keeps fruit cool and looks great.

Overview

Harlequin Duck: Small diving duck, blue-gray upperparts and underparts, rust-brown flanks. Back, breast and neck have vivid black-bordered white bars. Tail is dark and relatively long. Gray legs, feet. Feeds on insects, mollusks and crustaceans. Rapid direct flight, often low over the water.

Range and Habitat

Harlequin Duck: Breeds from Alaska and Yukon south to Wyoming and Sierra Nevada of California, and from southern Baffin Island south to Labrador and Gaspe Peninsula. Spends winters along coasts south to central California and Long Island; also in Eurasia. Preferred habitats include swift-moving streams in summer; and rocky, wave-lashed coasts and jetties in winter.

Topo Map: Duck-like Body


Listen to Call

Voice Text

Generally silent

Interesting Facts

 The Harlequin Duck takes its name from Harlequin,  a colourfully dressed character in Commedia dell'arte. The species name comes from the Latin word "histrio", or "actor".

 Also called the Sea mouse because of its very unducklike squeaks. Other names include Circus duck or painted duck for its beautiful colors.

 They are classified as sea ducks, yet the birds migrate inland to breed.

 A group of ducks has many collective nouns, including a "brace", "flush", "paddling", "raft", and "team" of ducks.


Bird Term Glossary



Author

Gary Owen Dick

Artist

Yury Lisyak

Splitbar
Range Map for Harlequin Duck

.
Family Diving Ducks (Anatidae)_blue
Species Histrionicus histrionicus
Length15 - 21 Inches
Wingspan26 Inches

Harlequin Duck

Harlequin Duck: Small diving duck, blue-gray upperparts and underparts, rust-brown flanks. Back, breast and neck have vivid black-bordered white bars. Tail is dark and relatively long. Gray legs, feet. Feeds on insects, mollusks and crustaceans. Rapid direct flight, often low over the water.

● Song: Generally silent

● Foraging & Feeding: Harlequin Duck: Eats blackfly, stonefly, caddisfly, and mayfly larvae in mountain rivers; fish eggs are also consumed when available. On the coast, feeds on snails, limpets, crabs, chitins, and mussels; in late winter congregates to feed on herring spawn.

● Breeding & nesting: Harlequin Duck: Three to ten creamy white or pale buff eggs are laid in a nest made of down concealed in a rock crevice near a stream. Incubation ranges from 27 to 30 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Harlequin Duck: None in range.

Flight Pattern

Rapid direct flight.
Harlequin Duck Male Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Harlequin Duck: Breeds from Alaska and Yukon south to Wyoming and Sierra Nevada of California, and from southern Baffin Island south to Labrador and Gaspe Peninsula. Spends winters along coasts south to central California and Long Island; also in Eurasia. Preferred habitats include swift-moving streams in summer; and rocky, wave-lashed coasts and jetties in winter.
BreedingMonogamous
Population
MigrationMigratory
Weight24 Ounces
Duck-like BodyX
UnderpartsX
Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.
UpperpartsX
Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.
BreastX
The upper front part of a bird.
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Read more...
ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

Read more...
Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX