Contains papers presented at a conference on sea ducks, a group of waterfowl exhibiting dramatic ornate plumages and life history strategies that are more akin to sea birds than to other species of ducks. Topics of the papers include: behaviour of harlequin ducks and scoters; productivity of breeding harlequin ducks; time budgets of surf scoter broods; habitat associations of nesting spectacled eiders; periodic non-breeding of Steller's eiders; philopatry of moulting harlequin ducks; foraging strategies and habitat use; distribution of scoters and eiders in the St. Lawrence estuary; and the eastern population of Barrow's goldeneye. Appendices include abstracts of nine other papers.

The past decade has seen a huge increase in the interest and attention directed toward sea ducks, the Mergini tribe. This has been inspired, in large part, by the conservation concerns associated with numerical declines in several sea duck species and populations, as well as a growing appreciation for their interesting ecological attributes. Reflec

The 21 species of sea ducks are one of the larger subgroups (Tribe Mergini) of the waterfowl family Anatidae, and the 16 species (one historically extinct) that are native to North America represent the largest number to be found on any continent, and also the largest number of endemic sea duck species native to any continent. Although generally not important as game birds, the sea ducks include some economically important birds such as the eiders, the basis for the Arctic eiderdown industry and a historically important food source for some Native American cultures. They also include what is probably the most northerly breeding species of all waterfowl and an icon of Arctic bird life, the long-tailed duck. The sea ducks also include species having some of the most complex and diverse pair-forming postural and acoustic displays of all waterfowl (goldeneyes and bufflehead), and some of the deepest diving species of all waterfowl (scoters and long-tailed duck). Sea ducks are highly prone to population disasters caused by oil spills and other water contaminants and, like other seabirds, are among the first bird groups that are being affected by current global warming trends in polar regions. This book is an effort to summarize succinctly our current knowledge of sea duck biology and to provide a convenient survey of the vast technical literature on the group, with over 900 literature references. It also includes 90,000 words of text (more than 40 percent of which is new), 15 updated range maps, 11 black & white and 20 color photographs, over 30 ink drawings, and nearly 150 sketches. Lastly, the North American sea ducks include the now extinct Labrador duck, the only northern hemisphere waterfowl species to have gone extinct in modern times. I have gratefully reprinted a Labrador duck watercolor by Sir Peter Scott. Considering recent population crashes in other sea ducks, such as the Steller's eider and spectacled eider, it should also offer a sobering reminder of the fragility of our natural world and its inhabitants, including us.

Why Ducks Do That answers many of the common, and some not-so-common, questions about the waterfowl species that share our world. The insightful text of Chuck Petrie is paired with beautiful color photos by the nation's leading wildlife photographers, making this book a delightful read for anyone who ponders the life of birds.