Ducks, geese, and swans · Waterfowl
Greater Scaup
Copied!
Aythya marila
Copied!
How to recognize it
-
Large, stocky diving duck with rounded head and short neck
-
Male: black-and-white, dark head with green or purple sheen, yellow eyes
-
Female: brown overall, broad white ring around the bill
-
In flight, a broad white wing stripe is obvious
About the species
The Greater Scaup is a sturdy diving duck with a rounded head and a short neck. Males look sharply black-and-white, while females wear calmer brown tones, so the two sexes can seem very different on the water.
It is usually quiet, but during courtship the male gives a soft nasal whistle or a low cooing note and swims around in a showy way. It lifts off water easily and flies fast, with quick wingbeats.
It breeds near northern lakes, marshes, and slow waters with overgrown shores. Its food is mostly molluscs and aquatic plants, and outside the breeding season it often gathers in large flocks and winters along sea coasts.
Where to find
-
Along reed-fringed pond edges, canal banks, and other large still waters — Greater Scaup dives for mussels and pops up as small grey-and-white shapes near shore.
-
On winter embankments, narrow bays, and river mouths — look for loose flocks resting on calm water and vanishing underwater again and again.
-
By warm outflow points and ice-free coves — its repeated dives leave quick flashes and ripples on the surface.
-
Near bridges and long stone river walls on broad waterways — groups may sit low on the water, then sink out of sight together when disturbed.
