Long-tailed Duck
Clangula hyemalis
The Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) is a common ducks, swans, and geese found in 56 countries, weighing about 871 g. The long-tailed duck 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.
About the Long-tailed Duck
The long-tailed duck 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.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
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.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in India, Guernsey, Georgia, Nepal.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, October, November, December, with peak activity in January. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Long-tailed Duck?
- Adults have white underparts, though the rest of the plumage goes through a complex moulting process. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Long-tailed Duck?
- The Long-tailed Duck is a large sized bird weighing about 871 g.
- Where can you see a Long-tailed Duck?
- The Long-tailed Duck occurs in 56 countries, including the United States, Canada, Sweden, Norway and Germany.
- What birds look similar to a Long-tailed Duck?
- The Long-tailed Duck is most easily confused with the Greater Scaup, the Surf Scoter and the Egyptian Goose.
- Is the Long-tailed Duck endangered?
- The Long-tailed Duck is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Long-tailed Duck for real
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