Long-tail Duck (Oldsquaw)

Description

While working on the upper St. Clair River I was able to capture some shots of Long-tail Ducks. In my efforts to ID them (Thanks Allen) I learned that first year males and females do not have the long tail for which they are named. They moult as many as three times a year and this can make ID challenging during those periods. They are Sea Ducks that we are fortunate enough to see as they migrate south. They can dive to 200ft and they feed on crustaceans, mollusks and insect larvae. I think they are a beautiful bird in all their plumages and hope you enjoy this shot.

Taken By

Robert Dietz

Taken On

November 15, 2012

Tagged

long-tail_duck duck oldsquaw waterfowl migratory wildlife bird