Harlequin duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) occurrence and habitat selection in North Cascades National Park Service Complex, Washington

Abstract

Harlequin ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) are sea ducks that migrate inland each spring to nest along fast-flowing mountain streams. They are considered one of the most imperiled duck species in North America and occur in two distinct populations on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The Pacific coast population includes Washington State, where harlequin ducks breed in the Olympic, Cascade, and Selkirk Mountains. This species is designated as a Management Priority Species by the National Park Service within North Cascades National Park Service Complex (NOCA). This report summarizes harlequin duck surveys conducted during 15 years across a 27-year period (1990 and 2017) on major streams within NOCA, and incidental observations collected from 1968–2021. The primary objectives of these surveys were to 1) document the distribution and abundance of harlequin duck observations within NOCA boundaries, 2) describe productivity (number of broods and brood size), 3) describe breeding chronology of harlequin ducks, and 4) describe habitat characteristics of breeding streams. Sixty-eight stream surveys over 15 years resulted in observations of 623 individual harlequin ducks comprising various demographics, including single adults, pairs, and broods. In addition, we collected 184 incidental observations of harlequin ducks from visitors and staff between 1968–2021. Harlequin ducks were observed on 22 separate second- to sixth-order streams throughout NOCA across the entire 53-year span of data, both incidentally and during harlequin duck surveys by Park staff. Harlequin ducks were detected on 8 of the 13 streams that were actively surveyed. Excluding recounts, 88.7% (n = 330) of individual harlequin duck observations during surveys occurred in the Stehekin River drainage. Between all surveys and incidental observations, 135 unpaired females without broods were sighted across all NOCA waterways. Thirty-nine broods were recorded between NOCA surveys and incidental observations, with a mean brood size of 3.61 (± 1.44 SD; range = 2–10). Breeding pairs were recorded as early as April 5 and were seen on streams until June 15, a period of less than seven weeks (median: May 2), but most pairs were observed within a 3-week span, between April 26 and May 17. Single females (unpaired with a male, with (an)other female(s), or with a brood) were observed on streams between April 26 and August 25 (median: July 3), though most observations were made within a 5-week period between June 12 and July 19. Habitat data collected at adult harlequin duck observation sites indicate that the birds often used stream reaches with features that are characteristic of high-energy running water. While adults occupied all instream habitat types identified, non-braided rapids and riffles were used most frequently, followed by pools and backwaters. Larger instream substrate sizes (cobbles and boulders) were present at most observation sites. Adult harlequin ducks were more often found at locations that lacked visible drifting or lodged woody debris, but drift debris was a slightly more abundant debris type. The presence of gravel bars and at least one loafing site was common. Adult harlequin ducks were more often observed in association with vegetation that offered some cover over the channel, but not where banks were undercut. The average channel width at adult observation sites was 34.0 m (range: 6-80 m; n = 114) and 27.6 m (± 15.7 m; range: 10-60 m; n = 12) at brood observation sites. Compared to adult harlequin duck sites, broods were observed more frequently in low velocity habitat (pools, backwaters), but rarely in rapids. Cobble and boulder substrates were still the most dominant substrate type. Contrary to adult ducks, broods were observed most often observed in meandering stream channels, a morphology indicative of low gradient, low velocity stream reaches. Most broods were observed in stream reaches with gravel bars, loafing sites, and...