The Harlequin duck is a small sea duck, which spends the summer near fast-flowing rivers where they lay eggs, and then migrate and spend the winter on the rocky coasts of the Atlantic ocean. In Eastern Canada the birds are found in Newfoundland, Labrador, the Gasp� Penninsula, and northern New Brunswick in the summer, and in winter they are found further south in Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. They often group together. The colourful feathers of the males make the birds easy to recognize.
In summer the birds will swim in the rivers and feed on insect larvae buried in the mud, and in winter these ducks will dive into shallow coastal waters and search the rocks for food � often snails, small crabs, and mussels. It is uncommon to see one of these beautiful birds because there are not many left.
The birds migrate in large groups to the same areas year after year, so any change in these home areas (habitat) can harm the birds and cause some to die. Things such as dams built by humans for hydroelectric power, the cutting of trees, the use of pesticides to kill insects, hunting, and oil spills in the oceans can all harm the ducks and lower the number that survive
- Learn as much as you can about these ducks and what makes them so special!
- Think about how cutting down forests, the use of pesticides, and pollution can be of harm to many animals and plants
- Do your part to stop pollution of rivers and oceans (help do a clean up with your school or parents, write a letter, be careful what you put down the sink�it goes to the ocean!)
Check out:
http://www.atl.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/harlequin/