Painted duck, Totem pole duck, Rock duck, Glacier duck, Mountain duck, White-eyed diver, Squeaker, Blue streak, lords and ladies (North America)
The Harlequin duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) is a small colorful sea duck. It takes its name from Harlequin (French Arlequin, Italian Arlecchino ), a colourfully dressed character in Commedia dell'arte. In North America, it is also known as 'lords and ladies'.
Adult breeding males have a colorful and complex plumage pattern. The head and neck are dark slate blue with a large white crescent marking in front of the eye; there is also a small round dot behind the eye and a larger oval spot down the side of the neck. A black crown stripe runs over the top of the head, with chestnut patches on either side. A black-bordered white collar separates the head from the breast. The body is largely a lighter slate blue with chestnut sides. A black-bordered white bar divides the breast vertically from the sides. The tail is black, long and pointed. The speculum (a patch on the secondary wing feathers) is metallic blue. The inner secondary feathers are white and form white markings over the back when folded. The bill is blue-grey and the eye is reddish. Adult females are less colorful, with brownish-grey plumage with three white patches on the head: around the spot behind the eye, a larger patch from the eye to the bill and a small spot above the eye.
Harlequin ducks are found in north-western and north-eastern North America, Greenland, Iceland, and eastern Russia. Their breeding habitat is cold fast-moving streams and they are usually found near pounding surf and white water. During the winter, they inhabit rocky coastal shorelines. They are short-distance migrants and most winter near rocky shorelines on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. They are very rare migrants to western Europe.
Harlequin ducks are diurnal and feed by swimming underwater or diving. They can dive as deep as 3-4 m and stay under the water up to 45 seconds. These birds are excellent swimmers and have smooth, densely packed feathers that trap a lot of air within them. This is vital for insulating such small bodies against the chilly waters they ply. It also makes them exceptionally buoyant, making them bounce like corks after dives. Harlequin ducks are social and often feed in groups. They are usually silent, however, during the breeding season, males become more vocal.
Harlequin ducks are carnivores (piscivores) and eat mollusks, crustaceans, small fish, aquatic insects, and fish eggs.
Harlequin ducks are monogamous and form long-term pair bonds. They start breeding in May-June and during this time the male performs courtship dance for the female. He shakes his head and tail and produces high-pitched whistles while swimming around the female. Harlequin ducks usually nest in a well-concealed location on the ground near a stream. The female lays 5-8 eggs and incubates alone during 27-29 days. A few days after hatching, the female takes her ducklings to the water and teaches them how to catch their own food. Ducklings fledge and become independent between 50 and 70 days after hatching. They become reproductively mature at around 2 years of age.
The main threats to Harlequin ducks include pollution of water bodies in which birds spend most of their time, and logging as it reduces suitable breeding areas and the number of prey species.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total Harlequin duck population size is around 190,000-380,000 individuals. The population in Russia consists of 10,000-100,000 breeding pairs and around 1,000-10,000 wintering individuals. The European population consists of 4,000-7,000 pairs, which is around 8,000-14,000 mature individuals. Currently, Harlequin ducks are classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and their numbers today are increasing.