Day 35: Long-tailed Duck

The last time we went to Ocean City, we saw beautiful Long-tailed Ducks at the inlet. They are common sea ducks in Maryland during the winter, and we saw several large flocks fly through. Luckily, a few birds floated fairly close to the jetty we were standing on.

Long-tailed Ducks form large flocks in winter and during migration. They feed by diving for food, and although they usually feed close to the surface, they are capable of diving up to 200 feet! This is deeper than most other sea ducks can go.

As you can see in the photos, male Long-tailed Ducks have a long pointed tail. In the winter, males have a dark cheek patch and a white head and neck. Until recently, the name for this bird in North America was the Oldsquaw (strange name, I know), though it has always been called the Long-tailed Duck in Europe. Now, though, they are officially called Long-tailed Ducks.