Greater or Lesser Scaup? (1 Viewer)

Maroon Jay

Airborne

• May 19, 2017

• #1

ID help please. Central Alberta. The Greater Scaup is not normally here but this one has a green head and the female has perfectly round head so I am not sure.

 

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aeshna5

Well-known member

• May 19, 2017

• #2

Lesser Scaup for me.

 

Nutcracker

Stop Brexit!

• May 19, 2017

• #3

Ditto to Lesser

 

Maroon Jay

Airborne

• May 19, 2017

• #4

Thank you very much. I have several bird books and a couple of them say that the Greater has a green head and the Lesser has a purple head. Is this not true? Do you ID only by the shape of the head?

 

Nutcracker

Stop Brexit!

• May 19, 2017

• #5

The head colour is variable with the angle of light - from one direction it'll look green, from another, purple, or even bronzey-red. Or of course, just black.

 

Maroon Jay

Airborne

• May 20, 2017

• #6

Thank you very much.