The second Pleistocene record of the Harlequin duck Histrionicus histrionicus in Europe

Abstract A mostly complete coracoid of the Harlequin duck Histrionicus histrionicus is described from the Late Quaternary, likely Early Holocene, of the Dutch North Sea. The find represents the second fossil record of the species in Europe, previously only recorded from the Middle Pleistocene of Italy. The fossil’s distinct morphology matches that of Histrionicus histrionicus well and differs from all other duck genera. The find is considered a rare example of an identified vagrant in the fossil record, as modern Harlequin ducks are seldom seen in Europe outside of Iceland.