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Harlequin Duck: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Bird For Hunters

Blue ducks, clowns, sea mice, and squeakers are some of the nicknames given to the harlequin duck. Regardless of what you call them, harlequins are one of the most beautiful, most interesting, and least understood waterfowl species. They are, by every sense of the phrase, a "trophy bird" for serious waterfowl hunters. But few will ever come across a harlie in the field due to their remote locations and strict hunting regulations.

In 2022, Washington State completely closed harlequin hunting in response to increased pressure that was unsustainable. Now, Alaska remains one of the only locations where hunters can consistently harvest a blue duck. This makes the harlequin one of the hardest birds to hunt for those in pursuit of harvesting all of the North American waterfowl species. Besides the challenge of successfully taking a harlie, their gorgeous plumage is what draws hunters from all around the world to remote locations. Here's everything else you need to know about the beautiful harlequin duck.

Appearance and Vocalization

Like most female ducks, the hen harlequin has a collection of browns and olive-browns, with a speckled white chest, stiff black tail feathers, a white face patch ahead of the eye, a roundish white patch behind the eye, and a stubby albeit heavy bill. They're also small, similar in size to a blue-wing teal, tipping the scales at just over one pound.

If you were to mix a kaleidoscope with a box of Crayola crayons, you might end up with something that resembles a drake harlequin. Simply put, they're a gorgeous bird. Overall, the drakes feature a soft slate blue color with chestnut red sides. A white facial patch in front of the eye runs upward overtop the head, bordered by black and the same chestnut striping. A white semi-collar runs along the sides of the neck but doesn't fully connect. They also have a thin white "shoulder" stripe that is outlined in black. The drake shares the hen's stiff dark tail, while his wings are a dark brown with blue iridescent highlights and white stripes near the body. They're slightly bigger than the hens, weighing just under one and one-half pounds.

Harlequins are a surprisingly vocal duck, with a repertoire of high-pitched mouse-like squeaks—hence the moniker sea-mice—and fast-paced whistling peeps that are short, but machine gun quick. Some describe the sound as a staccato whine. 

The drake harlequin features an impressive combination of colors, including a chestnut red on the sides. Jgorzynik/Adobe Stock Habitat

Unlike mallard hens that prefer to nest in knee-high sheltering grass, harlequin hens nest along turbulent mountain streams and rivers. Here, and throughout the spring and summer, both drakes and hens seem quite content in the whitewater. They forage, swim, and even walk on the bottom of rivers and bays in search of aquatic insects like caddisfly larvae, hellgrammites, and dragonfly nymphs, as well as the occasional vegetative material.

Harlequins winter in coastal saltwater environments, typically in shallow (less than 25 feet) water depths and rocky (wave-washed cobblestone) shorelines. As documented by the Sea Duck Joint Venture—a group formed in 1999 as part of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP)—blue ducks are "relatively tame, use near-shore habitats, and have high site-fidelity," thus making them extremely vulnerable to hunting.

Harlequins often winter along rocky coastal shorelines. Rhfletcher Distribution and Population Statistics

Though harlequins are thought of as a bird of the West Coast, there are two distinct and quite separate populations of blue ducks in the U.S. And Canada. The better-known western population makes its home from roughly the Rocky Mountains, including the Canadian Rockies, westward to the Pacific, and wintering from the Aleutian Islands south to Oregon.

The eastern population, the bulk of which inhabits a region from Quebec and Labrador south to Newfoundland and New Brunswick, is further segmented into two groups based on where each winter. One group winters in southwestern (coastal) Greenland, and the other in the Maritimes and New England states, primarily the Penobscot and Jericho bays of Maine.

For many years, Washington was the only state in the Lower 48 where hunters could reliably harvest harlequins. Today, as it's been since the 2022 season, this is no longer an option. Waterfowl biologists determined that blue duck populations have, due to a dramatic increase in harvest, dropped to levels that cannot, if the harvest were to continue, be sustainable for the future.

At one time, Washington hunters could harvest seven harlequins daily. This dropped to one daily and then to one per year until 2022, when the taking of blue ducks in Washington was closed entirely. It's interesting to note that while harlequins are off-limits in Washington, the birds are categorized simply as ducks in the states of Oregon and California and, therefore, can be harvested. However, it is very rare to kill a harlie in those areas.

But there are still opportunities for those wishing to check a harlequin off their bucket list in Alaska. For those hunting The Last Frontier as non-residents, it's legal to take four (4) harlequins per season. Though a DIY hunt in Alaska for non-residents is certainly possible, most, if not all, harlequin seekers employ the services of an outfitter who can not only point the harlie hopefuls in the right direction but possess all the gear necessary to hunt Alaska's saltwater both safely and successfully.

Field & Stream Editor-in-Chief Colin Kearns holds up a Drake harlequin he took in Alaska. Colin Kearns Hunting Methods

Successfully hunting harlequins lies more in the right gear and the location than it does the decoys. As mentioned earlier, blue ducks are terribly site-specific; that is, they have a section of shoreline they prefer, and if one goes there and is patient, the little ducks will be by. However, the trick behind the harvest often lies in a suitable boat, a more-than-capable captain at the helm, the ability to read a tide table, and local knowledge.

Harlequin spreads are incredibly small by comparison to most traditional puddle duck or diver rigs. They usually range from six to 10 or 12 individually rigged and often hand-carved and hand-painted works of art. No calling is needed; however, a sharp eye and/or binoculars will certainly help answer the question of whether or not it is a mature harlequin to take.

As a trophy bird bound for the taxidermy studio, harlequins are best gunned with feather-friendly dense patterns of smaller, non-toxic shot, such as Hevi-Shot's 2-3/4 inch Hevi-Bismuth 5 or 6 shot.

Everything aside, the most important part about hunting harlequins is getting where you need to be. And where you need to be nowadays to kill a harlequin is Alaska. The little blue duck? He's a gorgeous bonus to the adventure of a lifetime.

Great Dane Just Can't Conceal His Guilt When Owner Confronts Him

When some dogs cause mischief, they try to conceal it or act nonchalant to avoid getting caught. But that wasn't the case for Rocket the Great Dane, who couldn't hide his guilt for a single second.

When Chris Gordon arrived back home, he instantly saw that one of his three Great Danes had decided to rummage through the trash in search of some treasure. When he went to interrogate the suspects however, it immediately became clear who the guilty party was, as Rocket simply couldn't conceal his cheeky grin.

This isn't the first time Rocket has been caught. Gordon, from Aurora, Colorado, told Newsweek that the pup has "a dead giveaway" whenever he has been misbehaving. Rocket doesn't have much of a poker face because he will usually start smiling and showing his teeth when he's guilty.

Gordon filmed the moment he confronted his trio of Great Danes, named Groot, Gamora and Rocket, and shared the video on his TikTok account (@denvergameryt), much to the delight of his followers. Social media users can't get enough of Rocket's guilty expression, and the video has already racked up more than 3.1 million views and 235,500 likes in a matter of days.

Rocket the Great Dane can't control his guilty expression. Chris Gordon told Newsweek that Rocket just loves going through the trash whenever he gets the chance. Rocket the Great Dane can't control his guilty expression. Chris Gordon told Newsweek that Rocket just loves going through the trash whenever he gets the chance. @denvergameryt / TikTok

"Rocket usually has a smile or this submissive grin when he gets into the trash. This time, he probably got the cat food, I couldn't tell, but he was just acting very guilty," Gordon added.

"Now, a lot of people will say dogs can't feel guilt, but I definitely think he has some form of it. He's the only one of my three blue Great Danes who smiles like that. It's so obvious, he's my trash panda."

Many pet owners will be familiar with their cat or dog's actions when they have been caught out; whether it's the wide-eyed expression and refusing to make eye contact, or pretending to stay asleep so they can't be told off. But researchers are still unsure as to whether dogs can genuinely feel guilt.

VCA Animal Hospitals experts say that, when dogs are retreating and keeping their head down, they are not indicating signs of remorse, but they are responding to their owner's body language. They can tell that their owner isn't best pleased with them, so they will often revert to a posture that indicates submission or appeasement, which we in turn read as guilt.

Fundamentally, over time, pets should learn what behavior is acceptable and what isn't, purely through observation. If a dog does something good and gets rewarded, they will want to repeat the cycle again; likewise, they'll notice when their bad behavior isn't praised and learn from that. They might push the boundaries at first, but pets will gradually learn the household rules, and undesirable behavior should gradually be cut out.

For the most part, Gordon says that his three Great Danes are incredibly lazy and don't have much energy to create trouble or run around. But, on the odd occasion when they're feeling mischievous, it's rarely hard to work out which one was at fault.

"Rocket is usually guilty, and Gamora can be just as bad too, but not Groot, he's perfect," Gordon said. "Groot is the father of Rocket and Gamora, they are related. So, Gamora will be bred and then we'll have Drax next."

We may not know whether Rocket truly felt bad about his actions, but nonetheless TikTok users loved his hilarious guilty expression. With more than 1,600 comments on the viral post, there was plenty of praise for his attempt to keep it cool.

One comment reads: "I love how dogs just tell on themselves lol."

Another TikTok user wrote: "The guilty sneezes give it away EVERY time."

A third posted: "He's showing clean teefers to prove it wasn't him this time!"

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.Com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Ain't They Nothing But Hound Dogs?

 

Which word came first: "dog" or "hound"? Actually, "hound" did. About 700 years ago, the word "hound," which derives from the Old English "hund," meant all domestic canines. "Dog" was used to refer to a subgroup of hounds.

Today, we use "dog" to refer to all breeds and mixed breeds, from Great Dane to Chihuahua. And "hound" now indicates a type of dog used just for hunting by scent or by smell. "Hound" mostly refers to a dog with a long face and large, droopy ears.

Linguists still speculate about why there was a switcheroo of "hound "and "dog". One theory suggests the sub-breed known as "dogs" became so numerous that " dog" simply became the generic term. This is similar to how brand names become so well-known that they stand for the product rather than just the brand name. Think "Kleenex," "Band-Aid" or "Clorox".

Actually, the background of the English word "dog" has been a riddle for ages. It developed through Middle English "dogge" from Old English "docga", after which the trail seems to go cold. At first it referred mostly to rough-around-the-edges dogs, and was often used disparagingly, also as an insult to people.

There are several theories of where and how the breed name "Collie" originated.

Some Traceable Breed Names: "Terrier" comes from the Latin word "terra" meaning "earth" or "dirt because terriers were originally bred to hunt vermin. The dogs dug into burrows to chase their prey. Most terrier breeds were developed in the British Isles. Because terriers tend to be feisty, some people joke and say that's because they are "terrors".

The term "Setter" was derived from a medieval hunting dog, the setting spaniel, trained to "set," which meant crouch or lie down so a net could be thrown over the bird and dog. Later on, the bird was flushed out when the Setter crouched so the hunters with guns could get a shot.

There are several ideas about the origin of the word "Collie." Both Rough and Smooth Collies are descended from a local variety of herding dog originating in Scotland and Wales. The Scottish variety was a large, strong dog, bred to herd highland sheep. In fact in old writings, you will see the breed referred to as "Scotch Collies" instead of just "Collies."

Newfoundlands are one of the few North American indigenous breeds. Black & white Newfies are called "Landseers" after the painter Edward Landseer.

The breed name "Collie" may derive from the Scottish word for "coal" because many of the original sheep herding dogs had black in their coats. Or "Collie" may come from the word "coolly", referring to the black-faced mountain sheep of Scotland. As a third theory, Iris Combe, in her book, "Border Collies," says that in old Gaelic "Collie" was the rural term for anything useful — a "Collie dog" was a useful dog.

Despite being the national dog of France, Poodles really originated in Germany. The breed name comes from the German word "pudel" or "pudelin," which means "to splash in the water."

The fancy-prancy Poodle dog show cut traces to Germany in the late 16th century when Poodles were used as water retrievers. Owners shaved the back half of their dogs so they were more buoyant in water. Hair was left intact around the chest and joints to protect the Poodle's organs and prevent injury. Hair around the mouth and eyes was also shaved so the dog could see while retrieving, and an identifying knot of hair was fashioned on top of the Poodle's head to keep the hair away from eyes.

Breeds Whose Names Are Their Place of Origin: Many of the Terrier breeds consist of two words with the first word being the place of origin, such as Scottish, Welsh and Irish Terrier. Breeds with one word names can be less obvious as a place or origin. An Airedale is a large Terrier named for "Airedale," the district in Yorkshire where these terriers were first bred.

For over 600 years, Dalmatians have been bred for various jobs– hunting, carriage escorts, guarding stables. The breed gets its name from Dalmatia, an historical region near the Adriatic Sea in present-day Croatia. Their ancestors are thought to have been spotted Pointers and harlequin (black and white) Great Danes.

Since ancient time, Pekingese, originally bred in the Forbidden City of China. Were considered to be sacred. One legend says they were lions shrunk down to miniature-size by Buddha. They were bred in various colors to match the emperor's outfit when they sat on his lap. Salukis are ancient sight hounds, named for Saluqiyyah (Arabic for "Seleucia", a city of Mesopotamia now in Iraq). Legend says the Prophet Mohammed owned a Saluki that he used for hunting. This may explain the Saluki's mention in the holy Quran, in which the training of hounds for hunting is encouraged, as long as it is done in a manner directed by Allah.

The French name of the Bouvier des Flandres means "Cow Herder of Flanders,," referring to the Flemish origin of the breed. Other names for the breed are Toucheur de Boeuf (cattle driver), Vlaamse Koehond (Flemish cow dog), and Vuilbaard (dirty beard). A 1999 movie called "A Dog of Flanders" featured a Bouvier in a heartwarming story about an orphaned boy whose hard life is offset by his love for an abandoned dog, his determination to become a great painter, and his friendship with an artist.

The origin of the Newfoundland remains a matter of speculation. There are several theories to explain the appearance of the large, black dog on the Canadian island. The Vikings may have brought black bear dogs as early as 1000 AD; they might have evolved from the American black wolf and other native dogs; they could have developed via inter-breeding with European dogs that sailors brought on ships.

According to the Newfoundland Club of Canada, Newfies are one of the few breeds indigenous to North America. The breed was first given its locale name in 1775. There are many stories of these strong, swimming dogs rescuing passengers on ships in trouble near the shore. The rarer black and white Newfie was later named the "Landseer." for Edward Landseer the artist who painted them.

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All In The Family: Maine Mother & Son Charged in Massive Drug Bust