Long-tailed Duck

Clangula hyemalis

Also known as:Oldsquaw

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

41-56 cm (16-22") Fairly common. Tundra pools and lakes in summer, winters at sea or along protected inshore coastal areas and large lakes. Short-billed diving duck with a long needlelike tail. Was called Oldsquaw.

Male: in summer black head and breast; large white patch around eye; white sides and rear end. In winter white head; large dark patch on side of neck; back marked with bold black and white. In flight, white eye patch, long pointed tail, dark unmarked wings.

Female: in summer gray-brown overall; large dark smudge behind cheek. In winter, white head with dark patches; brown back; light sides. In flight, white eye patch, long pointed tail, dark unmarked wings.

Song: noisy yodels, gutteral calls.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

1 photo

Credit: Greg Schneider

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Voices: Long-tailed Duck

Credit: Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Long-tailed Duck

Credit: Stoil Ivanov

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 3 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Long-tailed Duck (Female)

1 rule

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 3

What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Blue · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Flattened · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: Red, orange or rusty · Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Crow-sized · Goose-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Duck or Goose-like

result:762-long-tailed-duck-female:1:1 Source: 762 Long-tailed Duck (Female), row 1

Long-tailed Duck (Male)

2 rules

Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 3

What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Long · Very Long · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Blue · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Flattened · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: Red, orange or rusty · Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Crow-sized · Goose-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Duck or Goose-like
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Summer · Fall

result:761-long-tailed-duck-male:1:1 Source: 761 Long-tailed Duck (Male), row 1

Rule 2 14 criteria confidence 3

What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Long · Very Long · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Blue · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Flattened · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: Red, orange or rusty · Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Crow-sized · Goose-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Duck or Goose-like
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Winter

result:761-long-tailed-duck-male:2:1 Source: 761 Long-tailed Duck (Male), row 2