ID TIPS: Long-tailed Duck

Kenn Kaufman

KEY FIELD MARKS WHAT TO LOOK AND LISTEN FOR Arelativelysmalldivingduck with a short bill and steep forehead. Long central tail feathers conspicuous on male. Complexanddistinctivefacepattern at all seasons, with males and females both showing changes between winter and summer plumages. Darklowerchestandwhite belly in all plumages; upperparts vary from mostly white to entirely dark. Solidlydarkaboveandbelow, without white markings, contrasting with pale body plumage in flight. Lonebirdsoftensilent but in flocks, males frequently give a far-carrying, musical, yelping call that could be written as Long-tailed Duck, winter male March in Ocean County, New Jersey COLD NORTHERN WATERS around the globe are home to one of the most distinctive of all waterfowl, the Long-tailed Duck. This beautiful diver breeds on Arctic tundra across North America, Europe, and Asia,…

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BirdWatching (Digital) - 1 Issue, November/December 2021

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