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Tuftie or Scaup ? (north of Sweden) (1 Viewer)

tarzzz

Well-known member
Sweden
Hi.

I guess they are Tufted Ducks ?

Thanks

//Ben
 

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Yep, Tufties. Female Tufties can show a variable pale patch round the base of the bill that can momentarily be confused with a Scaup. Males are easy - dark back equals Tufty.
 
Actually, I wouldn't rush into calling the female-type bird a Tufted Duck. It has a very rounded head with no sign of any shaggyness on top or at the rear of the crown, has a pale spot below and behind the eye, and doesn't have a very well defined black tip to the bill. These are all Greater Scaup characteristics.
 
I think Bird Hard 2 could have a point. I often have difficulty in calling these but the female type is showing some Scaup characteristics, can't see any hint of a tuft at all.
 
But, the male show hint of a tuft ? And as they were a pair, the female shold also be a Tuftie ?

//Ben

The male is defo a Tuftie but it doesn't mean the female has to be a Tuftie too. Like Bird Hard and myself have already stated, the female is showing some signs of a Scaup but I wouldn't be 100% on calling it.
 
Nope, it hasn't to be a female Tuftie. But, how common is it with Male Tuftie/Female Greater Scaup ? I gues that happends, but chances are better for 2 Tufties ?

We have both here, but I would say 1 of 100 are Scaup...

//Ben
 
Take a look at the image here http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=170790 and compare shape and size of bill, and the angle of bill to front of head: they look very different from the female bird above. When then considering that the female and the male above are virtually identical in these (except the nail looking brownish instead of black, possibly an effect of light or a thin coating of water), it becomes a female tufted for me.

Niels
 
It's a female Tufted Duck.

Best give-away; broad black tip to the bill, should just be a narrow black trip down the centre of the bill on Greater Scaup.
 
Tufties for me. I am still hoping to see one. The tuft is evident in both photos (a Ring-necked Duck with a mullet :D). And scaup have lighter colored backs without the white protruding up the shoulder like in this bird.
 
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