Glacier National Park is home to countless treasured relics and wildlife species.
That includes an elder duck.
A team of park scientists and researchers from the University of Montana recently identified a 17-year-old male harlequin duck that is believed to be the third oldest on record.
The oldest known banded harlequin duck has a recorded age of 18 years and 10 months. The state of Montana lists harlequins as a species of special concern. Glacier Park is home to an estimated 40 pairs of harlequins and the area near Upper McDonald Creek has the highest density of breeding harlequins in the Lower 48 states.
“Prior to these findings, harlequin ducks were reported to live up to only 10 years of age, which makes this finding a positive indicator of the health and longevity of harlequin breeding populations in Glacier National Park,” said Lisa Bate, Glacier Park biological science technician.
“Research indicates harlequin ducks mate for life unless something happens to one member of the pair. This old male has returned the last three years with the same female.”
Harlequins are small sea ducks that spend most of their lives along the coastal waters of North America. Male harlequins are slate blue with bold white, black and chestnut highlights. They are often referred to as “clown ducks” for their unique coloring and markings. Female harlequins are brown and gray, which allows them to blend into their surrounding while they sit on their nests for 28 days.
Each spring, harlequins migrate inland to breed and raise their young along fast-moving, freshwater streams. They are considered to be more strictly confined to running water than any other waterfowl species breeding in the Northern Hemisphere.
Harlequins are slow to mature, sensitive to human disturbance and vulnerable to climate change because they select nest sites close to the water’s edge. Female harlequins only breed on the streams where they were born, making the integrity of breeding sites especially important to maintain populations.
In 2011, Glacier Park initiated a study of harlequins on Upper McDonald Creek in cooperation with researchers from the University of Montana. The study will conclude this fall. Researchers use radio-telemetry and banding to learn more about the location of harlequin nests and factors affecting offspring survival. Upper McDonald Creek is considered an important breeding stream for harlequin ducks, comprising 25 percent of known broods produced in Montana.
Visitors are reminded to view all wildlife at a distance and not disturb wildlife in any way. Visitors are also encouraged to report to the park any observance of harlequin ducks on streams in the park other than Upper McDonald Creek.