summer male

summer male winter male European distribution male winter

Identification

Long-tailed Ducks show a bewildering variety of patterns depending on their age, their sex and the time of year but they are invariably a mixture of black, white and brown, usually white on the flanks and face. They are small birds with small heads and small bills. In flight they show uniquely all-dark wings but with long white 'shoulder blades'. They characteristically land at sea with an unceremonious belly-flop.

Habitat

Breeds by moorland pools and lakes. Winters in bays, estuaries and occasionally on inland lakes.

Behaviour

Strangely, this bird doesn't seem to have learned how to land. Instead of gliding into the water using its feet as brakes, like other ducks, this one just belly-flops down, chest first.

Migration

Large flocks winter in the Baltic, having moved down the coast from their breeding grounds in Scandinavia and Arctic Russia. Smaller numbers winter in the North Sea and off the coasts of Britain. Large numbers pass through the Baltic in May, returning to their breeding grounds.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Long-tailed Duck is classed as Local: generally fairly regular or common species that a 'county lister' or a birding beginner might be interested in going to see. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

The Loe, Cornwall 03/01/2010	Batsfjord, Finnmark, Norway 14/03/2009	Talkin Tarn, Cumbria 04/12/2009	Grune Pt, Cumbria 01/04/2009	Castle Loch NR, Dumf & Gall 21/12/2009
Bowness-on-Solway, Cumbria 19/12/2009	Bowness-on-Solway, Cumbria 19/12/2009	Pittenweem, Fife 17/12/2009	Pittenweem, Fife 17/12/2009	Pittenweem, Fife 17/12/2009

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Long-tailed Duck breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Russia
Svalbard
Sweden

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