Long-tailed duck

Breeding couples form on the tundra during the winter. The males attract the females with complex courtship displays and some aerial acrobatics, all accompanied by frequent calls. Once the couple is formed, the female chooses a nesting site, preferably on a small island where she can find shelter from predators in the vegetation. The six to eight eggs are incubated for 26 days. Less than 24 hours after hatching, the ducklings leave the nest for the closest body of water. The survival rate of the ducklings is not high, but once they become adult the survival rate can be as high as 72%.