Detailed images have not been published for this plate. Check back soon!

Painted

Published

1930

Volume

3

Plate

154

We want to see all of Rex's birds here, too.

A team of dedicated board members, volunteers, and student interns has published every page in Volume 9. This volume includes 360 images of paintings and lyrical descriptions of birds, now available online for everyone to enjoy anywhere in the world. This is a monumental task. Each volume requires approximately 400  hours to photograph, edit, transcribe, catalog, and publish online. We need your support to complete this work.

If you're tech-savvy, have a good eye, are meticulous with details, and love structured data, please consider volunteering by emailing us at hello@rexbrasher.org.

We encourage all bird lovers and supporters to consider a monetary donation to support our mission to make Rex's work available for everyone. You can provide a one-time or recurring donation online.

Oldsquaw

Clangula hyemalis

DESCRIPTION

Winter nor'westers flattened the surf along Great South Beach and OLDSQUAWS came in so close to shore that we often stalked them.

Reaching a dune in line with the birds we waited until they dove, then ran toward them, stopping and crouching when we thot they were due to come to the surface. The point of the chase was to estimate correctly their time under water — if they appeared while we were running, the game was up.

Two or three runs brot us close to the water's edge and when a bird came up it usually left the surface and offered a fair shot. When three or four were down, the canoe was launched and the game retrieved.

Hundreds fell in the Bay during daylight, flying seaward at sunset. They always followed the channel and swung past the inlet point so low that I have had to dip in the blind for fear one of the meteors would hit me. Their speed was terrific — they buzzed past like cannonballs and a collision would have been as effective as one of those missiles — as far as I was concerned. Once I killed three birds in a flock which had passed and altho they were not six feet above the sand, the nearest victim was sixty paces from the blind!

Their indifference to cold is astonishing and when spray freezes instantly on any object it touches, merry flocks of Oldsquaws play in the oceans without an icicle on their feathers.

They are the most vigorous and hardy of our Ducks, perhaps, and certainly the most talkative. Their notes have been interpreted variously into words. To me they seem to be continually informing one another — "You're the oldest! I'm the youngest!"

Among their other accomplishments is deep diving — 150 feet in fresh water, victims having been caught in nets at that depth.

With the males, courtship antics are horizontal wagging of the raised tail and pursuit of the female into water from the air. Their trick of towering, circling up almost out of sight and whistling down in erratic curves is unique among Ducks. In appearance and habits Oldsquaws occupy a distinctive niche in the Bird World.

BREEDING

NEST: of moss and grass, located on tundra of the far north.

EGGS — 6 to 10: pale gray olive.

RANGE

North America.

oldsquaw
merganser
Merganser
129
redbreast-merganser
Redbreast Merganser
130
hood-merganser
Hood Merganser
131
mallard
Mallard
132
black-duck
Black Duck, Redleg Black Duck
133-133a
florida-duck-mottled-duck
Florida Duck, Mottled Duck
134-134a
gadwall
Gadwall
135
redhead-widgeon
Redhead Widgeon
136
baldpate
Baldpate
137
greenwing-teal
Greenwing Teal
139
bluewing-teal
Bluewing Teal
140
cinnamon-teal
Cinnamon Teal
141
shoveler
Shoveler
142
pintail
Pintail
143
wood-duck
Wood Duck
144
redhead
Redhead
146
canvasback
Canvasback
147
scaup-duck
Scaup Duck
148
lesser-scaup-duck
Lesser Scaup Duck
149
ringneck-duck
Ringneck Duck
150
goldeneye
Goldeneye
151
barrow-goldeneye
Barrow Goldeneye
152
bufflehead
Bufflehead
153
oldsquaw
Oldsquaw
154
harlequin-duck
Harlequin Duck
155
steller-eider
Steller Eider
157
spectacled-eider
Spectacled Eider
158
northern-eider
Northern Eider
159
eider
Eider
160
pacific-eider
Pacific Eider
161
king-eider
King Eider
162
scoter
Scoter
163
whitewing-scoter
Whitewing Scoter
165
surf-scoter
Surf Scoter
166
ruddy-duck
Ruddy Duck
167
mask-duck
Mask Duck
168
snow-goose
Snow Goose
169
blue-goose
Blue Goose
169.1
greater-snow-goose
Greater Snow Goose
169a
ross-goose
Ross Goose
170
whitefront-goose
Whitefront Goose
171a
canada-goose
Canada Goose, Hutchin Goose
172-172a
whitecheek-goose
Whitecheek Goose
172b
cackling-goose
Cackling Goose
172c
brant
Brant
173a
black-brant
Black Brant
174
barnacle-goose
Barnacle Goose
175
emperor-goose
Emperor Goose
176
blackbelly-treeduck
Blackbelly Treeduck
177
fulvous-treeduck
Fulvous Treeduck
178
whistling-swan
Whistling Swan
180
trumpeter-swan
Trumpeter Swan
181
flamingo
Flamingo
182
roseate-spoonbill
Roseate Spoonbill
183
white-ibis
White Ibis
184
glossy-ibis
Glossy Ibis
186
whiteface-glossy-ibis
Whiteface Glossy Ibis
187
wood-ibis
Wood Ibis
188
bittern
Bittern
190
least-bittern
Least Bittern
191
cory-least-bittern
Cory Least Bittern
191.1
great-white-heron
Great White Heron
192
great-blue-heron
Great Blue Heron
194
northwestern-coast-heron-ward-heron
Northwestern Coast Heron, Ward Heron
194a-194b
egret
Egret
196
snowy-egret
Snowy Egret
197
redish-egret
Redish Egret
198
louisiana-heron
Louisiana Heron
199
little-blue-heron
Little Blue Heron
200
green-heron
Green Heron
201
frazer-green-heron-anthony-green-heron
Frazar Green Heron, Anthony Green Heron
201a-201b
blackcrown-night-heron
Blackcrown Night Heron
202
yellowcrown-night-heron
Yellowcrown Night Heron
203
whooping-crane
Whooping Crane
204
little-brown-crane
Little Brown Crane
205
sandhill-crane
Sandhill Crane
206
limpkin
Limpkin
207