RESULTS and DISCUSSION 

 Summary of Findings 



We surveyed a total of 45 streams, 37 on the Kootenai 

 National Forest and 8 on the Lolo National Forest, between May 5, 

 1990 and August 31, 1990 (Table 1) . During these surveys we 

 observed harlequin ducks on 39 occasions; conservatively 

 estimating a minimum of 27 individuals. Of the 27 individuals, 6 

 were males, 7 females and 14 juveniles (Table 2) . We located the 

 harlequins on 7 different streams on the Kootenai National 

 Forest: Big Creek, Callahan Creek, Grave Creek, Kootenai River, 

 Marten Creek, Swamp Creek and the Vermilion River. We located 

 harlequin ducks on 1 stream on the Lolo National Forest: Trout 

 Creek (Table 2) . 



We discovered a minimum of 5 broods on 4 streams; one each 

 on Big Creek, Callahan Creek, Marten Creek, and two on the 

 Vermilion River. The sightings on Callahan Creek and Big Creek 

 are the first confirmed sightings of breeding harlequins on those 

 streams. We observed brood size to range between 1 and 3 

 individuals with a mean of 2.3. By backdating plumage 

 development of broods (Gollup and Marshall 1954) we estimated 

 incubation to occur from mid-May to mid-June. We estimated 

 hatching dates to occur approximately one month later, mid-late 

 June. 



Migration dates were difficult to estimate as we could not 

 follow individuals to gather such information. We used confirmed 



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