Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Patient of the Week: Long-tailed Duck

A first for our facility, this handsome male Long-tailed Duck was brought to us after found down in a roadway in Arlington, Virginia. Thanks to the Animal Welfare League of Arlington, this duck was quickly rescued and transported to our hospital for evaluation.

While this duck had no broken bones, he did have serious soft-tissue damage on the wings, resulting in moderate blood loss. After a day of supportive care, this duck was sufficiently stable for sedation to allow for radiographs, thorough examination, and wound cleaning.

BRWC patient 24-48 sedated for radiographs. @BRWC 2024

This patient is now on pain medications and antibiotics and is resting comfortably. While our team is hopeful and excited to provide care for this unique species, the prognosis for this patient is guarded due to the severity of his wounds.

Patient 24-48 recovering comfortably after being sedated for exam and wound cleaning. @BRWC 2024

Long-tailed Ducks are uncommon patients at the Center, as we are quite far inland for this species. Long-tailed Ducks are generally a sea-faring species and often spend the winter along the Atlantic coast. You can see them in our state if you visit coastal areas this time of year.

This duck was found near the Potomac River in Arlington, and as we are the closest full-service wildlife hospital for that area, we occasionally see “odd” species like this.

Click here to learn why it’s called a long-tailed duck!

Nonbreeding male Long-tailed duck. @Cornell_All About Birds

Looking for an easy way to help native wildlife? Become a monthly BRWC donor! For as little as $5/month, you can provide year-round, sustainable support that helps us fulfill our mission.