[Length 16.5 in. Wingspan 26 in.]

The male Harlequin Duck is unmistakable with his chestnut, gray, and black body colors accented with bright white streaks and spots. Harlequin Ducks occur in northern North America and northeastern Asia. In North America they breed in central Alaska, western and northeastern Canada, and the northwestern US. They winter along the west coast south to central California and along the east coast to New Jersey. They are always found along rocky shorelines and often rest on the rocks even when the surf is crashing in around them. This exquisite drake Harlequin Duck was photographed along the new jetty at Barnegat Inlet, New Jersey, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: December 2000)

[Length 16.5 in. Wingspan 26 in.]

This female Harlequin Duck was photographed along the new jetty at Barnegat Inlet, New Jersey, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: December 2000)

[Length 16.5 in. Wingspan 26 in.]

This exquisite drake Harlequin Duck was photographed along the new jetty at Barnegat Inlet, New Jersey, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: December 2000)

[Length 16.5 (Female) to 21 (Male) in. Wingspan 28 in.]

Long-tailed Ducks (formerly called Oldsquaw) get their name from the long tail feathers of the male, which are easily seen when the bird is in flight. They got their former "politically incorrect" name of "Oldsquaw" from their rolling three-noted call and the fact that they often "talk" to each other for long periods of time like a bunch of "Old Squaws". They occur in the far northern regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. In North America they breed in the high Arctic regions of Alaska and Canada. They winter in the Great Lakes and along both coasts as far south as northern California and the Carolinas. This male, in full breeding plumage, waiting for the spring thaw to complete, was photographed in early June at Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: June 1991)

[Length 16.5 (Female) to 21 (Male) in. Wingspan 28 in.]

This winter plumaged male Long-tailed Duck (formerly known as Oldsquaw) was photographed along the docks at Nemuro, Hokkaido, Japan. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: January 1996)

[Length 16.5 (Female) to 21 (Male) in. Wingspan 28 in.]

This female Long-tailed Duck (formerly called Oldsquaw), in full breeding plumage, waiting for the spring thaw to complete, was photographed in early June at Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: June 1991)

[Length 16.5 (Female) to 21 (Male) in. Wingspan 28 in.]

This winter plumaged female Long-tailed Duck (formerly known as Oldsquaw) was photographed along the docks at Nemuro, Hokkaido, Japan. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: January 1996)

[Length 18 in. Wingspan 28 in.]

This exquisite drake Mandarin Duck was photographed on a small pond on the grounds of the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Japan. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: January 1996)