The harlequin duck is a small sea duck. It takes its name from Harlequin, a colourfully dressed character in Commedia dell'arte. The species name comes from the Latin word "histrio", meaning "actor". Other names include painted duck, totem pole duck, rock duck, glacier duck, mountain duck, white-eyed diver, squeaker, lords and ladies and blue streak.
Region
North Atlantic and North Pacific coasts of the Northern Hemisphere
Typical Environment
Breeds along cold, fast-flowing streams and rivers in boreal and montane regions of North America, Greenland, Iceland, and northeastern Asia. Winters primarily on rocky, exposed marine shorelines, headlands, and islands with strong surf. Favors boulder-strewn channels and turbulent riffles when inland, and kelp-fringed, intertidal zones on coasts. Often shows strong site fidelity to both breeding streams and wintering reefs.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2000 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Harlequin Duck is famed for the drake’s striking slate-blue, chestnut, and white patterning that evokes the flamboyant Harlequin of theatre. It breeds along fast, boulder-strewn rivers and winters on wave-battered rocky coasts, showing remarkable agility in turbulent water. The species is unusually tolerant of rough surf and whitewater, often diving among crashing waves to feed. Females are cryptically brown with distinctive white facial spots.
A pair of harlequin ducks, hen (left) and drake (right)
Harlequin hen
Adult drake
Eggs, Collection Museum Wiesbaden
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
fast, low over water with rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Pairs form on wintering grounds and move inland to breed along swift rivers, where they defend short stretches of stream. Nests are placed on the ground near water or in sheltered crevices, often under vegetation or among rocks. Broods are led downstream soon after hatching to productive foraging reaches, and family groups may join small crèches.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Males give high, squeaky whistles and thin piping notes, especially during courtship. Females produce harsher, duck-like grunts and squawks, used in contact and alarm contexts.
Plumage
Male: slate-blue with rich chestnut flanks, bold white crescents and spots on head, neck, and body; crisp, contrasting pattern. Female: chocolate-brown with three pale white facial spots and subtle mottling.
Diet
Primarily aquatic invertebrates, including caddisfly, mayfly, and stonefly larvae in rivers, and marine crustaceans and mollusks on coasts. Also takes amphipods, snails, and occasionally fish eggs or small fish. Forages by diving and gleaning from rocks in swift currents and surf zones.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in whitewater riffles, plunge pools, and turbulent runs of clear, boulder-strewn streams. In winter, forages in the intertidal among kelp beds and rocky ledges where waves churn up prey.
