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Lesser Scaup

From Opus

Revision as of 21:31, 13 May 2009 by GaryClark-54011 (Talk | contribs)

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Male. Photo by Marysan

Aythya affinis

1 Identification
- 1.1 Similar Species
2 Distribution
3 Taxonomy
4 Habitat
5 Behaviour
- 5.1 Breeding
- 5.2 Diet
6 References
7 External Links

[edit] Identification

39-46 cm.

Slight bump or peak on back of head

Male

Bill blue with small black tip
Black head, chest, and rear end
Grey sides

Female

Female. Photo by panthers1
Surrey Lake, Surrey, BC Canada, Fall 2004

Drabber and brown with white patch at base of bill.

[edit] Similar Species

Female Tufted Duck can show similar white face. Beware male hybrid TuftedxPochard and TuftedxGreater Scaup

[edit] Distribution

North America: Alaska to southern US; winters northern South America and Hawaiian Islands.

Vagrants regularly arrive in Europe

[edit] Taxonomy

Monotypic

[edit] Habitat

Fresh water.

[edit] Behaviour

Juvenile. Photo by Gary Clark
Location: Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada, USA.

[edit] Breeding

They nest in a sheltered location on the ground close to water.

[edit] Diet

Includes molluscs and aquatic plants.

[edit] References

Wikipedia
Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.