Harlequin Duck

Histrionicus histrionicus (Linnaeus, 1758) (6, 19)

Photo © J-L Irvine - Norwick, Unst, Shetland, 5th August 2022

STATUS

Northeast Siberia, Japan, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, western Canada, Pacific northwest and northern Rocky Mountain states; northeast Canada, southern Greenland and Iceland. Monotypic.

OVERVIEW

The first three records were all in England but there have been none since. The Outer Hebrides with five records and oneo pending leads the way for Scottish records. A further three records are recorded from the west coast of Scotland, four more records from the northern isles (one pending), the rest from the Scottish east coast.

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BBRC RECORDS

1). 1862 Yorkshire Filey, male, found dead, autumn, now at Mansfield Museum.

(J. Whitaker, Zoologist 1878: 135; Roebuck & Clarke, 1881; Yarrell, 1871-85; O. V. Aplin, Zoologist 1884: 52; O. V. Aplin, Naturalist 13: 200; BOU, 1915; Witherby, 1920-24; F. C. R. Jourdain, British Birds 26: 313).

2). 1886 Northumberland Farne Islands, three immatures, all shot but only two males obtained, 2nd December, one now at Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery (Acc. No. 1924Z18.4043).

(J. G. Tuck, Field 11th Dec., 1886: 872; J. G. Tuck, Zoologist 1887: 70-71; J. A. Harvie Brown, J. Cordeaux & W. E. Clarke, Migration Report 8: 41; Anon., Proceedings of the Zoological Society 1887: 319-320; Eds., Field 19th March 1887: 406; Eds., Zoologist 1887: 158-159; R. W. Chase, Zoologist 1887: 196; J. G. Tuck, Zoologist 1887: 196; Bolam, 1912; Witherby, 1920-24; Galloway & Meek, 1978-83; Kerr, 2001; Watson, 2010).

5). 1915 Lancashire & North Merseyside River Ribble, Crossens, Southport, adult male, shot, January, now at Bolton Museum.

(T. A. Coward, British Birds 20: 25-26; Clarke, 1927; T. A. Coward, Field 24th Jan., 1931: 120; Hardy, 1941; Oakes, 1953; Spencer, 1973; White, McCarthy & Jones, 2008).

6). 1931 Outer Hebrides Near Berneray, Sound of Harris, male, seen, 13th February.

(S. W. P. Freme, British Birds 24: 370; K. Williamson, Scottish Naturalist 66: 16; Cunningham, 1983).

7). 1954 Borders River Teviot, Barnhills, Denholm, Roxburghshire, immature male, shot, 16th January, now at National Museums of Scotland (NMSZ 1954.35).

(K. Williamson, Edinburgh Bird Bulletin 4: 40; K. Williamson, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Bulletin 2: 58; K. Williamson, Scottish Naturalist 66: 15-16, 23; E. V. Baxter, Scottish Naturalist 68: 3; Murray, 1986).

8.0). 1965 Fair Isle Mavers Geo, pair, 11th January to 2nd February.

(D. D. Harber and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 59: 286; G. Barnes, Scottish Birds 4: 83-84; D. G. Andrew, Scottish Birds 4: 288).

8.1). 1965 Caithness Wick, two: male and female, 18th April to 1st May; presumed same as Fair Isle individuals.

(D. D. Harber and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 59: 286; R. S. Shand & G. Gunn, Scottish Birds 4: 83-86; D. G. Andrew, Scottish Birds 4: 288).

10). 1987 Shetland Sullom Voe, Mainland, first-winter male, 16th January to 25th February.

(Eds., Twitching 1: 39; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 81: 549).

11). 1987 Argyll Claggain Bay, Islay, female, 20th to 24th October, photo, again, 29th and 30th October, again 31st October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 81: 549, plate 293; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 82: 518; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 83: 455).

12). 1991 Caithness Wick, female, 6th February to 17th May, photo.

(Birding World 4 (2): 39; D. Orr-Ewing, Birding World 4 (2): 47-48, photo; Birding World 4 (3): 77, photos; British Birds 84: plates 174, 177 & 178; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 85: 519).

13). 1996 Ayrshire Girvan, two, first-summer females, 13th to 27th April, photo.

(Birding World 9 (4): 126, photos; Birding World 9 (12): 474, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 90: 466, plate 163; Ayrshire Bird Report 1996: 72; Kent Bird Report 2001: plate 15; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007: photo).

15). 1999 Fair Isle Meoness, South Light and Da Water, age uncertain, male, 15th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 93: 525).

16). 2004 Outer Hebrides Col, Lewis, female, mid-January to 20th May.

(Birding World 17 (2): 46, photo; Birding World 17 (3): 93, photo; Birding World 17 (5): 181, photo; Birding World 17 (12): 510, photo; British Birds 97: plate 117; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 98: 637, plate 413; M. S. Scott, Birding Scotland 7 (2): 83-86, plates 77-79; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007: photo).

17). 2007 Outer Hebrides Hirta, St Kilda, adult male, 18th June, photo.

(Birding World 20 (7): 269, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 101: 523, plates 257 & 258).

18). 2013 Outer Hebrides Balranald, North Uist, first-winter male, 18th February to 1st June, photo.

(British Birds 106: plate 147; B. Rabbitts, Scottish Birds 33: 181-183, plates 161-165; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 107: 587, plate 280).

19). 2015 Northeast Scotland River Don, Aberdeen, 2CY, male, 3rd January to 21st May, photo.

(British Birds 108: plates 66 & 111; R. Leslie & D. MacAskill, Scottish Birds 35: 180-185, plates 163-170; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 573, plate 302).

20). 2015 Highland Brora, Sutherland, 2CY+ female, 17th February to 30th April, photo.

(D. MacAskill, Scottish Birds 35: 184-185, plates 172 & 173; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 573).

21). 2022 Shetland Norwick, Unst, 3CY+, male, 5th to 11th August, photo.

(British Birds 115: plate 400; L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 556, plate 329).

22). 2022 Outer Hebrides Village Bay, Hirta, St Kilda, 2CY+, male, 23rd to 24th August, photo.

(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 556).

23). 2022 Argyll Feall Bay, Coll, 1CY+, female, 22nd December, photo.

(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 556).

24). 2023 Outer Hebrides Traigh Eais, Barra, 2CY, female, 22nd January to 18th February, photo.

(BBRC - Web-WIP-11-3-24).

25). 2023 Highland Loch Fleet, male, 5th to 6th August, photo.

(BBRC - Web-WIP-11-3-24).

P). 2023 Orkney North Ronaldsay, 15th October.

(birding information services).