Ducks Sharing Waters with Whales

Common Eider ducks (Somateria mollissima) (Gam-bird) length: 58 cm wing-span: 101 cm bill: 5 cm
Locally known as the 'Gam-bird', this is the largest duck in the Northern Hemisphere. Look for the black and white males and brown females flying in long strings low to the water. The eider is savoured as a culinary delight and its feathers are famous for 'eider-down'—a superior insulating material. Most of the isolated capes and headlands offer good winter and early spring viewing. We have seen large flocks at Cape Race, Cape St. Mary's and Cape St. Francis. From March to May, eiders can be seen flying and feeding by headlands at daybreak en route to their northern breeding grounds. Lewisporte in Notre Dame Bay is home to summering stocks of eiders.

Old Squaw ducks (Clangula hyemalis) (Hound) length: 47 cm wingspan: 71 cm tail: (male) 20 cm bill: 2.6 cm
This small brown and white duck is distinguished in flight by its brown wings that contrast to the white of its body. The male oldsquaw has long, pointed tail feathers, which tip upright when pitched. Males are larger than females. Females are more brown than white. Listening to a flock of hounds from a distance you would think there was a pack of dogs yelping somewhere. Observing them is like watching acrobatic airplanes-they are noisy, they leave the water as a group, climb vertically and descend at amazing speed to another cove or spot from where they left. They often keep company with eiders and harlequins, but are superior divers, capable of diving to depths greater than 30 meters in search of mussels, shrimp, and small crab.

Harlequin ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) (Lords and Ladies) length: 43 cm wing-span: 63.5 cm bill: 2.6 cm
From a distance harlequin ducks appear black, but on closer observation their purplish body and head plumage is interspersed with white markings giving the adult male a cloak of royal appearance. Females are brown with white head markings. These ducks prefer rough, rocky coasts with breaking surf. When swimming and eating they look as if they are bobbing their heads. This is a feeding habit to pick invertebrates out of the water. The harlequin is a 'species of special concern' that has been subjected to over-hunting and oil pollution. This bird is rare in Newfoundland with a small population in the Cape St. Mary's area. It also breeds along the fast rivers of Labrador.

White-Winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi) (White-winged diver) length: 55.8 cm wing-span: 91 cm bill: 3.8 cm
The scoter flies low over the water in an uneven loose formation. The large white-wing patch and orange bill distinguish the male scoter from other ducks. Scoters feed on shellfish and other bottom dwellers. These ducks are common to the entire coastline year-round, look for them in remote coves outside settlements. Be careful approaching any cove, remembering that ducks have keen eyesight. The headlands of Eastport and Bonavista Bay offer a good viewing spot.

Red-Breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) (Shell-bird) length: 58 cm wing-span: 83.8 cm bill from nostril: 4.6 cm
This merganser is indeed a striking bird. The greenish tinge to its long, black, shaggy head crest gives it the appearance of never having combed its hair. It has a white neck ring on an otherwise black throat and a rusty band crosses its whitish breast. Females are brownish with a reddish-brown head crest. When flying, both sexes show a white wing patch and are distinguished from other white winged ducks in flight by their long necks. In Newfoundland, they may be found in the same areas as the white-winged scoter. We have seen them in many of the isolated coves around the province.