Wildlifeof China
Long-tailed Duck
Ducks, Geese & Grebes
Photo: (c) carbenoid, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY
Clangula hyemalis
Basic stats
Diet
Crustaceans, mollusks, marine invertebrates, small fish, fish eggs, insects, larvae, and limited plant material
Habitat
Arctic tundra pools and lakes during breeding; open ocean, coasts, brackish water, and large lakes in winter
Range
Circumpolar Arctic breeder; winters farther south in North America, Europe, Korea, and the Black and Caspian Seas
Clutch size
Usually 6–8 eggs; ADW summary range 5–11
Incubation period
24–30 days
Size
38.1–58.4 cm
Wingspan
Average 70 cm
Weight
0.68–1.13 kg
The long-tailed duck is a circumpolar waterbird breeding along Arctic coasts in Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Russia. It winters farther south around North America, Britain, Korea, and the Black and Caspian Seas. Breeding birds use tundra lakes, pools, bogs, deltas, inlets, and offshore islands, while wintering flocks occupy open ocean, coasts, and large lakes. Adults measure 38.1–58.4 cm, span about 70 cm, and weigh 0.68–1.13 kg, with males larger than females. (Animal Diversity Web)
This diving duck feeds mainly on crustaceans, mollusks, marine invertebrates, small fish, fish eggs, and aquatic insects. Algae, grasses, seeds, and fruits provide a smaller plant component. Pairs are socially monogamous, and females construct concealed ground nests lined with grass and down. Six to eight eggs are usual, although ADW summarizes the normal range as five to eleven; exceptionally larger sets may result from brood parasitism. The female alone carries out the 24–30-day incubation and leads the precocial ducklings to water. (Animal Diversity Web)
Quick answers
- What does the Long-tailed Duck eat?
- Crustaceans, mollusks, marine invertebrates, small fish, fish eggs, insects, larvae, and limited plant material
- What habitat does the Long-tailed Duck live in?
- Arctic tundra pools and lakes during breeding; open ocean, coasts, brackish water, and large lakes in winter
- Where is the Long-tailed Duck found?
- Circumpolar Arctic breeder; winters farther south in North America, Europe, Korea, and the Black and Caspian Seas
- How many eggs does the Long-tailed Duck lay?
- Usually 6–8 eggs; ADW summary range 5–11
- How long are the eggs of the Long-tailed Duck incubated?
- 24–30 days
- How big is the Long-tailed Duck?
- 38.1–58.4 cm
- What is the wingspan of the Long-tailed Duck?
- Average 70 cm
- How much does the Long-tailed Duck weigh?
- 0.68–1.13 kg