292 BAY, SEA OR DIVING DUCKS 



Western Harlequin Duck 



Histrionicus histrionicus pacificus 

 (his-tri-6n-i-kus, pa-sif-i-kus) 



Colour Plates Nos. 23 and 21. Downy Young No. 35. 



SCIENTIFIC NAME 



Histrionicus, Latin, relating to histrio, meaning a stage player; the bird being 

 decked out in various colours as if to act on the stage; pacificus, Latinized form, 

 meaning of the Pacific Ocean. 



COLLOQUIAL NAMES 



(Included under Eastern Harlequin Duck.) 



DESCRIPTION 



ADULTS, BOTH SEXES. WINTER PLUMAGE: Identical with Eastern Harlequin 

 except for certain minor details of colour and bill. See "Specimen Identification" 

 under Eastern Harlequin Duck. 



ECLIPSE AND AUTUMN PLUMAGE: Same as those of Eastern Harlequin Duck. 

 JUVENILE. Same as juvenile Eastern Harlequin. 



SPECIMEN IDENTIFICATION AND FIELD MARKS 



See Eastern Harlequin Duck. 



LIFE STORY 



The Western Harlequin Duck, except for certain minor differences 

 of colour, is identical with the Eastern subspecies. From Alaska to the 

 coast of central California, the Harlequin is found in comparative abun- 

 dance, frequenting the rocky shores and revelling in the rough, tempes- 

 tuous waters and the tumult of breakers on the exposed surf-washed 

 beaches. These ducks may be seen climbing nimbly over the jagged, 

 slippery rocks and ledges with the same ease and facility with which they 

 ride the foaming crests of the sea. There is no weather too rough nor 

 habitat too wild for these truly maritime little birds. 



Of the diving ability of these ducks, Michael (1922) says: "Harle- 

 quins are expert swimmers and divers. They dive and swim under water 

 with all the ease of a grebe, besides possessing the ability of the water 

 ouzel to walk about on the river bed against the swift currents. When 

 feeding, so far as we were able to observe, they show no preference as to 

 depth of water. When working upstream along the shore they wade in 

 the shallow water, prying among the stones. Where the water is deeper 

 they tip up in the manner of mallard ducks, and where the water is still 

 deeper they dive. They dive in water a foot deep and they dive in water 

 6 feet deep, always going down where there is a gravelly bottom. Most 

 often they stay under water not more than 15 seconds. Often they stay 

 down 20 seconds, and occasionally they remain under the water as long as 

 25 seconds. To leave the surface of the water they use their wiry tails as 

 a spring to make the plunge and as they go down both wings and feet 



