Waterfowl

Harlequin Duck

Histrionicus histrionicus

One of Alaska's most spectacularly patterned ducks: males wear slate-blue plumage adorned with white crescents, spots, and chestnut flanks. A year-round resident along Kodiak's rocky coastlines.

Where to look

Rocky shorelines along Pasagshak Bay, Cape Chiniak, Spiridon Bay, and any surf-swept coast around Kodiak.

Habitat

Fast-flowing rivers for breeding; rocky coastal surf in winter.

Diet

Marine invertebrates: mussels, limpets, periwinkles, and crabs.

Natural history note

Harlequin Ducks are strong swimmers that feed in powerful surf, using their stiff tail as a rudder to navigate rocky intertidal zones.