Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)

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Image of a Long-tailed Duck in its natural habitat
Birds Duck

Introduction

The Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) is a medium-sized sea duck of the northern hemisphere. It breeds mainly in Arctic and sub-Arctic tundra and migrates to coastal waters, large lakes and ice-edge habitats for the non-breeding season. The species is known for its distinctive tail feathers, seasonal plumage changes, deep-diving ability and characteristic yodelling calls.

Physical Description

The Long-tailed Duck is a slender diving duck with a rounded head, small bill and relatively short wings. Adults are approximately 38–55 centimetres long, with a wingspan of about 66–79 centimetres. Males are generally larger than females.

Adult males have a long, pointed central tail plume, most conspicuous during the breeding season. Their plumage changes markedly through the year. In breeding plumage, the male is mainly dark with a contrasting white face patch. In winter plumage, he is predominantly white, with dark markings on the neck, back and breast, brownish areas on the head, and a dark bill crossed by a pink band.

Females and immature birds are less contrasting, with mottled brown, grey and white plumage. Females have a shorter, less conspicuous tail than males. Young birds resemble females but may appear duller and more uniformly brown. The species has dark wings in flight, a useful identification feature at a distance.

The Long-tailed Duck is also notable for its vocalisations. Flocks produce distinctive yodelling, whistling, clucking and growling notes, while males use repeated calls during courtship and territorial displays.

Range and Habitat

The Long-tailed Duck has a circumpolar distribution. Its breeding range extends across northern Alaska, northern Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Scandinavia and Russia. During the non-breeding season, birds move south to coastal waters of the North Atlantic and North Pacific, the Baltic and North seas, the Great Lakes, and other large northern lakes. Some wintering birds occur well offshore, around sea ice, polynyas and open-water leads.

Breeding birds favour shallow freshwater lakes, pools, ponds and marshes on Arctic tundra. Suitable sites may also occur in low-lying coastal areas, hilly tundra and near the northern edge of boreal forest, provided that open water is available. Nests are often placed on islands, peninsulas or lake margins.

The species is strongly migratory, although the timing and distance of movement vary between populations. Many birds travel along coastlines or through major migration corridors, and individuals from different breeding regions may use separate wintering areas. The Baltic Sea is one of the most important wintering regions for the European population.

Behaviour and Diet

Long-tailed Ducks are highly social outside the breeding season and may gather in flocks numbering hundreds or thousands. They are active swimmers and powerful divers, often feeding far from shore. They can dive to approximately 60 metres, or about 200 feet, and may remain underwater for considerably longer than many other diving ducks.

The species feeds mainly on aquatic invertebrates. On breeding grounds, the diet may include aquatic insects, small crustaceans, fish eggs and some plant material. In marine wintering areas, Long-tailed Ducks take crustaceans, molluscs such as mussels, zooplankton and small fish. They may feed during the day or at night, depending on conditions and prey availability.

Courtship takes place on the water. Males use head-shaking, bill-tossing, tail-raising and vocal displays to attract females and defend small territories. After mating, the female selects the nest site, while males commonly leave the breeding area for moulting sites. The female usually incubates the eggs and raises the brood without assistance from the male.

A typical clutch contains about six to nine eggs, although clutch size can vary. The eggs are incubated for approximately 24–29 days. The ducklings hatch covered in down, with their eyes open, and leave the nest soon after drying. They can feed themselves immediately, although they are initially less proficient divers than adults.

Identification Tips

  • Look for a small, slender sea duck with a rounded head, small bill and dark wings.
  • Adult males usually show the species’ most distinctive feature, a long, narrow, pointed tail plume.
  • In winter, males are largely white with a dark neck and back, brownish head markings and a pink band across the dark bill.
  • Females and immature birds are mottled brown and white and lack the male’s long tail, but their compact shape, small bill and rounded head remain useful clues.
  • Listen for the species’ distinctive yodelling or musical calls, particularly when birds are gathered in winter flocks.
  • Northern Pintails have a more elongated neck and a longer, straighter bill. The Long-tailed Duck has a rounder head, a smaller bill and a more compact sea-duck shape. Female Long-tailed Ducks also lack the sharply pointed tail typical of a male pintail.

Conservation Status

The Long-tailed Duck is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. The species has experienced substantial declines in parts of its range, although monitoring is difficult because many birds occur offshore, form widely dispersed flocks or remain underwater when disturbed. Population trends also vary between regions.

Important threats include bycatch in fishing nets, oil pollution, disturbance and degradation of coastal and marine feeding habitats. Changes in sea-ice conditions, prey availability and marine ecosystems associated with climate change may create additional pressure. Hunting continues in parts of the species’ range, although its contribution to the overall population decline is uncertain and appears to vary geographically.

Conservation priorities include protecting Arctic breeding wetlands and important wintering waters, reducing oil pollution and fishing-gear bycatch, maintaining reliable monitoring programmes, and improving understanding of migratory links between breeding and wintering populations. Regional management is particularly important in areas such as the Baltic Sea, where major declines have been recorded.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the Long-tailed Duck live?

It breeds in Arctic and sub-Arctic tundra across northern North America, Greenland, Iceland, Scandinavia and Russia. In winter, it occurs mainly on coastal waters, large lakes and sea-ice edges farther south.

Is the Long-tailed Duck a migratory bird?

Yes. Most Long-tailed Ducks migrate between northern breeding grounds and coastal or large-lake wintering areas. Migration routes differ between populations and may follow coastlines or major inland waterways.

How deep can a Long-tailed Duck dive?

Long-tailed Ducks can dive to approximately 60 metres, or about 200 feet, when searching for food. They use their wings as well as their feet to help move underwater.

What does the Long-tailed Duck eat?

Its diet consists mainly of aquatic invertebrates, including crustaceans, molluscs, aquatic insects and zooplankton. It also takes fish eggs, small fish and some plant material.

How can a Long-tailed Duck be identified?

The most useful features are its slender shape, rounded head, small bill, dark wings and, in adult males, a long pointed tail plume. Winter males are mostly white with dark neck and back markings, while females and immature birds are mottled brown and white.

Why is the Long-tailed Duck threatened?

The species is affected by fishing-net bycatch, oil pollution, disturbance, habitat degradation and changes in marine food supplies. Climate-related changes to Arctic wetlands, sea ice and ocean ecosystems may increase these pressures.

References

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