Marine Mammals and Birds of the Gulf of Maine

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Whale Neighbours - Harlequin Duck

Written by artmackay on

From: fundywhale.blogspot.com

Harlequin Duck
Histrionicus histrionicus

On April 22, 2008, Joyce Morrell of Campobello sent around a photo of a single drake at Head Harbour Light House. This reminded me of a very short story about one of the most beautiful of the Bay of Fundy marine birds.

I was once involved with an aquaculture application for White Head Island off Grand Manan in the mouth of the Bay of Fundy. There, slap dab in the middle of the proposed site was a small and very relaxed flock of these beautiful birds. Roosting on a nearby ledge, their daily flights tooks them directly across an embayment where the cages would be moored. Interestingly, the birds won because they were listed as endangered in both Canada and the United States. Times have certainly changed. Today, the truly endangered north Atlantic right whale doesn't seemed to have stalled the steamroller of development from LNG, refineries, quarries, and other coastal developments.

Perhaps the little harlequin duck can do the trick? Located off Point Lepreau, the Wolves, White Head Island, Campobello, East Quoddy Head and elsewhere along the proposed route of LNG and aggregate ships entering Passamaquoddy Bay, they are certainly a species that must be considered.

The Harlequin Duck, Eastern population, is protected under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA), the federal Migratory Birds Convention Act which is currently under assault by J.D. Irving in their defense against their violation of a great blue heron rookery. Under this Act, it is prohibited to kill, harm, or collect adults, young, and eggs. Harlequin Ducks are also protected in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador under their respective Endangered Species Acts.

Get more information at: http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/species/speciesDetails_e.cfm?sid=22

Photo credit: wikipedia.com

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