Long-tailed ducks, at one time called oldsquaw ducks, come by their popular name honestly as is very apparent from the tail seen in the second photograph. The scientific name for this duck is Clangula hyemalis, which is interesting. Like most scientific name for animals and plants the name is derived from Latin. In this case the latin word clangere is used as it translates to ‘resound’ and hyemalis translates to ‘of winter’, so this duck resounds in winter. An apt name for a beautiful winter visitor to Delaware’s shore where scores of bird watchers and photographers seek it out. These photographs were taken a few years ago in Indian River Inlet.
