Contains papers presented at a conference on sea ducks, a group of waterfowl exhibiting dramatic ornate plumages and life history strategies that are more akin to sea birds than to other species of ducks. Topics of the papers include: behaviour of harlequin ducks and scoters; productivity of breeding harlequin ducks; time budgets of surf scoter broods; habitat associations of nesting spectacled eiders; periodic non-breeding of Steller's eiders; philopatry of moulting harlequin ducks; foraging strategies and habitat use; distribution of scoters and eiders in the St. Lawrence estuary; and the eastern population of Barrow's goldeneye. Appendices include abstracts of nine other papers.