Movements of Harlequin Ducks in Eastern North America

Abstract The movements of a total of 948 Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) banded in eastern North America and Greenland from 1996-2003 (313 breeding, 186 molting/staging, and 449 wintering) were examined. Regular resighting and recapture projects have been underway at the Gannet Islands, Labrador, as well as Jericho Bay, Maine. Less consistent observations have been conducted on the Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec, and incidental observations were obtained from the public. Affiliations between breeding, molting and wintering sites were assessed in an effort to determine movement patterns and the level of geographic separation. Population affiliations indicated by past satellite telemetry studies were verified by the capture-recapture data. Absolute geographic separation between the eastern North American wintering population and the Greenland wintering population could not be determined.