A documentary about the remarkable lifestyle and turbulent habitats of Harlequin Ducks
This video introduces the world of Harlequin Ducks – showcasing their unique lifestyle and the biologists who study them. WIN’s intent is to produce a full documentary about these incredible sea ducks and those who strive to learn why their population continues to decrease by 2% per year.
Harlequin Ducks have one the most unique and intriguing life histories of all waterfowl – or most other birds for that matter. While their striking plumage and intriguing migration patterns make them a favored study subject, their actual population sizes and trends are still largely a mystery after years of research by an international cadre of professional biologists.
Harlequin Ducks molt and spend the winter along rocky coasts, often in rough surf. In the spring, they migrate great distances inland to turbulent mountain streams, where they breed and raise their young. The female builds a nest in a secluded spot, usually within a meter of the water. Soon after she is on the nest, the male returns to the coast to molt in a protected Harlequin communal area. The female raises her brood, averaging four young, and then leads them back to the coast in late summer. Harlequins unfailingly pair for life.
Harlequin Duck hen (left) and three juveniles in Glacier National Park
Lisa Bate is one of the biologists who have been conducting research on Harlequins. While working as a wildlife biologist for the past decade, she has conducted numerous surveys of these special ducks along their breeding streams in Glacier Park. WIN volunteers and others help Lisa conduct surveys and catch the Harlequins that breed locally, so the ducks can be banded, inspected, and often fitted with tracking devices.
Over the years, Lisa’s Harlequin studies have merged with those of fellow biologists from Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, the U.S. Forest Service, and multiple Canadian wildlife agencies – inland and along the west coast. Collectively, these biologists have surveyed the Harlequin molting, wintering, and breeding grounds, and tracked their movements throughout the year via various forms of electronic surveillance. These experts are tediously learning what specific parameters lead to population swings.
Lisa Bate and her team of volunteers trapping Harlequin Ducks for banding
Harlequin Ducks are susceptible to population declines due to their specialized life history. Females always, and only, travel back to their natal streams to breed. Paired males always accompany their mate from the coastal wintering grounds to her natal stream. Every time a female dies, there is one less breeding pair on that stream.
On the negative side, hunting, expanding human encroachment and activities, and shipping accidents lead to population declines. On the positive side, the herring population along the coastal wintering grounds is healthy, so the Harlequins can feast on herring roe before their arduous migration to the breeding grounds. The best news is that additional breeding creeks and streams in western North America are being discovered each year, so the overall population may be less threatened than recently thought.
Lisa and her team of volunteers continue to expand their studies and increase their use of electronic surveillance.
A solitary Harlequin drake stands on a rock on the Hornby Island shore
Harlequin Duck drakes at Hornby Island, B.C., Canada
Dick Walker filming Harlequin Ducks on Hornby Island
Short behind-the-scenes video of a Harlequin Duck research trip to Hornby Island, B.C., Canada
Video hii ya kihistoria inaonyesha maisha ya pekee ya Harlequin Duck na wataalamu wa biolojia wanaowachunguza. WIN inataka kutengeneza filamu kamili kuhusu bata hawa wa baharini na wale wanaojitahidi kujifunza kwa nini idadi yao inaendelea kupungua kwa 2% kwa mwaka. Harlequin Ducks wana moja ya historia ya maisha ya kipekee na ya kuvutia zaidi ya ndege wote wa maji <unk> au ndege wengine wengi kwa jambo hilo. Ingawa manyoya yao yenye kuvutia na mifumo yao ya uhamiaji yenye kuvutia huwafanya kuwa watu wanaopendwa sana, ukubwa wa idadi yao halisi na mwelekeo wao bado ni fumbo baada ya miaka mingi ya utafiti na kikundi cha kimataifa cha wataalamu wa biolojia. Bata wa Harlequin hujipinda na kutumia majira ya baridi kali kando ya pwani zenye miamba, mara nyingi katika mawimbi magumu. Katika majira ya kuchipua, wao huhama umbali mrefu kuelekea nyanda za milimani zenye msukosuko, ambako wao huzaliana na kulea watoto wao. Nyani wa kike hujenga kiota mahali palipojitenga, kwa kawaida umbali wa meta moja kutoka majini. Muda mfupi baada ya mwanamke huyo kuingia kwenye kiota, mwana-mwitu huyo hurudi pwani ili kuondoa manyoya yake katika eneo linalolindwa la jamii ya Harlequin. Mwanamke huyo hufuga watoto wake, kwa wastani watoto wanne, kisha anawaongoza kurudi pwani mwishoni mwa kiangazi. Harlequins huungana bila kukosa kwa maisha yao yote. Mbwa wa Harlequin (kushoto) na watoto wake watatu katika Hifadhi ya Taifa ya Glacier Lisa Bate ni mmoja wa wanabiolojia ambao wamekuwa wakifanya utafiti juu ya Harlequin. Alipokuwa akifanya kazi kama mwanabiolojia wa wanyama wa porini kwa miaka kumi iliyopita, amefanya uchunguzi mwingi wa bata hawa wa pekee kando ya vijito vyao vya kuzaliana katika Hifadhi ya Glacier. Wakala wa WIN na wengine wanamsaidia Lisa kufanya uchunguzi na kuvua Harlequins zinazozaliana katika eneo hilo, ili bata waweze kufungwa, kuchunguzwa, na mara nyingi kuingizwa vifaa vya kufuatilia. Kwa miaka mingi, masomo ya Lisa Harlequin yameunganishwa na yale ya wanabiolojia wenzake kutoka Montana Fish, Wildlife, na Hifadhi, Huduma ya Misitu ya Marekani, na mashirika mengi ya wanyama wa porini ya Canada - ndani na kando ya pwani ya magharibi. Kwa pamoja, wanabiolojia hawa wamechunguza maeneo ya Harlequin ya kuogelea, ya kukaa majira ya baridi kali, na ya kuzaliana, na kufuatilia harakati zao mwaka mzima kupitia aina mbalimbali za ufuatiliaji wa elektroniki. Wataalamu hao wanajifunza kwa bidii ni mambo gani hususa yanayofanya idadi ya watu ibadilike-badilike. Lisa Bate na timu yake ya wajitoleaji wanaowashika Harlequin Ducks kwa ajili ya banding Harlequin Ducks ni nyeti kwa kupungua kwa idadi ya watu kutokana na historia yao ya maisha maalumu. Nyama za kike sikuzote, na tu, hurudi kwenye vijito vyao vya kuzaliwa ili kuzaliana. Wanaume waliounganishwa mara zote huandamana na mwenzi wao kutoka maeneo ya pwani ya majira ya baridi kali hadi kwenye kijito chake cha kuzaliwa. Kila mara mwanamke anapokufa, kuna jozi moja ndogo ya kuzaliana kwenye kijito hicho. Kwa upande mwingine, uwindaji, ongezeko la uvamizi na shughuli za kibinadamu, na aksidenti za meli husababisha kupungua kwa idadi ya watu. Kwa upande mwingine, idadi ya samaki aina ya herring walio katika maeneo ya pwani ya majira ya baridi kali ni nzuri, kwa hiyo harlequins wanaweza kula mayai ya herring kabla ya kuhamia maeneo ya kuzaliana. Habari njema ni kwamba vijito na vijito vya kuzaliana zaidi katika magharibi mwa Amerika Kaskazini vinagunduliwa kila mwaka, kwa hivyo idadi ya jumla inaweza kuwa chini ya tishio kuliko ilivyodhaniwa hivi karibuni. Lisa na timu yake ya kujitolea wanaendelea kupanua masomo yao na kuongeza matumizi yao ya ufuatiliaji wa elektroniki. Harlequin Duck Drake katika Hornby Island, B.C.