Harlequin Duck – Swimmers – 2/16/2012 to 5/29/2018

This male Harlequin Duck was photographed at the cruise ship dock in Juneau, Alaska.

The female Harlequin Duck was photographed at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, Illinois on 2/16 2012.

Select this link to see photos of the Harlequin Duck

The male Harlequin Duck is a small slaty duck with chestnut sides and odd white patches and spots. The female Harlequin Duck is a dusky brown with three white spots on the side of its head, and no wing patches. It has a habitat of mountain streams in summer and rocky coastal waters in winter, and favors extremely turbulent streams. Its diet consists of mollusks, crustaceans, plant material, and insects.

 

 

Graylag Goose Bird – Visual – 2/16/2012

The Graylag Goose was photographed in the South Lagoon of Diversy Harbor in Chicago, Illinois

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Graylag Goose

This female Graylag Goose is gray or white or in-between with a thick neck, bulky bodies, and a thick orange bill. The male is always white. It is native of northern and central Eurasia, but has been domestically introduced to the United States. It has been domesticated and raised for meat, and dozens of breeds exist. Their habitat is reedbeds, marsh and lakes. They feed on plant material, roots, tubers, and leaves on both water and land.