The long-tailed duck ( Clangula hyemalis ), formerly known as the oldsquaw, is a medium-sized sea duck that breeds in the tundra and taiga regions of the arctic and winters along the northern coastlines of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is the only member of the genus Clangula . Taxonomy The Old Squaw Duck is one of the deepest diving ducks, and can dive as deep as 60 meters (200 feet) to forage for food. They feed primarily on aquatic invertebrates, including insects and crustaceans. Also some bivalves, fish, fish eggs, and plant matter.
Old Squaw Photograph by Donald Cramer Fine Art America
The attractive Long-tailed Duck breeds in the high Arctic and spends winters mostly along ocean coasts. The stunning males have two mirror-image plumages: in summer mostly black with a white face patch; in winter mostly white with rich brown, black, and gray on the face. In all plumages they have extravagantly long, slender tail feathers. Females and immatures are smudgy brown and white. January 11, 2022 By Mike Gnatkowski It was a good omen. The effluent coming out of the stack at the Michigan Sugar Beet plant in Sebewaing overlooking Saginaw Bay was trailing straight up toward the sky. Guide Mike Martin admitted he hadn't seen very many days like this in the fall of 2020. A duck of cold northern waters. Often the most abundant bird in the high Arctic. Large flocks are often far out at sea; many spend the winter on such northern waters as Bering Sea, Hudson Bay, and Great Lakes. Flocks fly low over sea, with stiff shallow wingbeats, often tilting from side to side. The attractive Long-tailed Duck breeds in the high Arctic and spends winters mostly along ocean coasts. The stunning males have two mirror-image plumages: in summer mostly black with a white face patch; in winter mostly white with rich brown, black, and gray on the face. In all plumages they have extravagantly long, slender tail feathers. Females and immatures are smudgy brown and white.
Longtailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) AKA Oldsquaw
Looking for ID Help? Get Instant ID help for 650+ North American birds. Try Merlin Bird ID Species in This Family Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl (Order: Anseriformes, Family: Anatidae) Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Fulvous Whistling-Duck Emperor Goose Snow Goose Ross's Goose Graylag Goose Greater White-fronted Goose Pink-footed Goose Brant Long-tailed, or old squaw, ducks ( Clangula hyemalis) have been caught in fishing nets more than 50 metres (160 feet) deep, but this is exceptional; most species do not dive much below 6 metres (20 feet). They normally remain below for less than 30 seconds, occasionally up to… Read More Oldsquaw. What a marvelously insensitive, splendidly politically incorrect name for a duck. In just eight letters, it manages to insult women, the elderly, Native Americans. As if the name itself were not bad enough, the very reason the name was chosen is right in line with the offensiveness of the moniker. The long-tailed duck is a vocal species with an extensive variation of calls and sounds integral in interspecies interactions like mating or raising young. Individual calls have been described as nasal growling, clucking, squawking and yodeling and can be heard across long distances. The male's call is a loud "ow-owoooleee."
Old Squaw at Lion’s Lake Nature Frames
Old Squaw ducks, scientifically known as Clangula hyemalis, are fascinating creatures. They are renowned for their remarkable diving abilities, reaching depths of up to 60 meters (200 feet) in search of food. These ducks can be found nesting in the northern arctic regions of Canada and Russia, particularly near tundra pools and marshes. Green Bay and Northern Wisconsin Duck Hunting Layout Boat hunting for Trophy Old Squaw, Canvasback, Goldeneye, Greater Scaup (Bluebills), Lesser Scaup, Redheads, Bufflehead and Scoters. Northern Wisconsin waterfowl hunts for Wood Ducks, Mallards, Gadwall, Wigeon, Black Ducks, Teal and Ring-necks.
Clangula hyemalis ( Linnaeus, C 1758) The long-tailed duck, formerly known as "Oldsquaw," is a medium-sized sea duck that breeds in the tundra and taiga regions of the arctic and winters along the northern coastlines of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is the only member of its genus Clangula. Source: Wikipedia. Ocean State Outfitters offers hunting for Old Squaw or Long-tailed/tail, one of the most beautifully plumed water fowl on the east coast. The Old Squaw or Long-tailed Duck is found from Maine down to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Each State in between boast good hunting for Old Squaw including, Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Virginia
Old Squaw Hunting Waterfowlers Challenge
On this episode of Larry Smith Outdoors, we headed over to Saginaw Bay, Michigan, to do some duck hunting with our good friends, J&J Services! The first day,. The Long Tail Duck or Old Squaw is a beautiful bird with drakes displaying along sprig tail feathers similar to the Pintail. In recent years some biologists feared that the term Old Squaw would be offensive to the Native Americans that were assisting in the conservation efforts of these birds.
