![]() Individuals may overwinter on opposite sides of the continent in alternate years, depending on which flock they join during migration.ĭuring the breeding season, greater scaup tend to occupy freshwater ponds, lakes (especially on islands), and treeless marshes or bogs in the far north tundra (NatureServe 2020 National Audubon Society 2020). However, they spend their winters along the Pacific Coast (from southeast Alaska to California), Great Lakes, or Atlantic Coast (from Canada to the Gulf Coast) (NatureServe 2020). They generally start arriving at far northern breeding areas (coastal tundra of the Arctic and sub-Arctic) by May or early June. In North America, they breed in Alaska, across northern Canada (including around Hudson Bay), and out to the Atlantic Ocean in Newfoundland. ![]() The greater scaup has a large range globally. A female Greater Scaup Range and habitat of the greater scaup ![]() They also eat seeds, leaves, stems, and roots/tubers of aquatic plants, including sedges, grasses, pondweeds, muskgrass, and wild celery (NatureServe 2020 National Audubon Society 2020).Ĭommon predators that will target eggs, ducklings, or adult birds include gulls, ravens, foxes, skunks, and raccoons, although pike may also eat small ducklings if they occur in freshwater systems (All About Birds 2020). They open their bills in soft muddy bottom substrates, and paddle forward while “combing” for food. Since greater scaup tend to inhabit coastal areas over the winter, mollusks (e.g., snails, mussels, clams, oysters, scallops, etc.) and aquatic insects are often targeted (NatureServe 2020 National Audubon Society 2020). They may dive down to 23 feet to retrieve invertebrates and plant materials to eat (All About Birds 2020). Like its cousin the canvasback, greater scaup are divers – very good ones, too. The ducklings are capable of flying by 45 days of age (National Audubon Society 2020). Hens lead their broods to open water shortly after hatching, and broods may combine with others. Females typically lay 5 to 11 brown/olive-colored eggs and incubate them for 23 to 28 days (All About Birds 2020). After breeding, drakes generally gather on lakes with good food supplies and cover to molt and replace their feathers. Scaup may even build nests in close proximity, forming a sort of colony. Hens build nests in depressions on islands, along shorelines, or on floating vegetation, using dead plant material and down to line it (National Audubon Society 2020). Drakes bow their heads, dip their bills into the water, flick their wings, and whistle to the female. In late winter, greater scaup start forming pairs after males display for hens. During migration and over the winter, it may form huge flocks that number in the thousands. The greater scaup has no issues gathering with other diving ducks. And in full breeding plumage, greater scaup drakes show an iridescent green on their heads, while lessers have an iridescent purple. Greater scaup drakes are larger and have rounded heads, while lesser scaup are smaller and have more pointed heads. The differences between greater and lesser scaup are so slight that it often takes a lot of experience to correctly tell them apart. Hens have yellow eyes too, but are uniformly light brown (perhaps a little darker brown on the head), with a patch of white surrounding the bill. While flying, all plumages have a bold white wing stripe (speculum) that extends almost to the tip of the wing (All About Birds 2020). Their heads display a beautiful iridescent green in the right light conditions, which is accented by its bright yellow eyes and pale blue, black-tipped bill. Breeding drakes have dark heads and necks, a finely mottled gray back, pure white sides, and a dark tail end. The greater scaup is roughly 18 to 20 inches long and weighs in at about 2 pounds (NatureServe 2020). Description and life history of the greater scaup Scaup are very gregarious birds, often forming gigantic flocks called rafts in the winter. Collectively, scaup are often called “bluebills” due to the color of their bills. Its very close cousin, the lesser scaup, is extremely similar-looking in most respects and requires a close examination to tell the difference. ![]() The greater scaup ( Aythya marila) is the only circumpolar diving duck, meaning it breeds in far northern latitudes across North America, Europe, and Asia. The greater scaup is a diving duck with coastal hunting opportunities New England Grouse Shooting, by William Harnden Foster.The Upland Shooting Life, by George Bird Evans.
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