Greater or Lessor Scaup? UK (1 Viewer)

[Chilt]

So just wondering as the title asks?

Thanks
Nick

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

The starting point for a bird in the UK with ducklings would be Tufted Duck.

 

[Chilt]

The starting point for a bird in the UK with ducklings would be Tufted Duck.

Dont think its a tufted duck?

 

[Arsenal Birder]

Tufted duck

 

[dwatsonbirder]

Agree with Tufted duck, Scaup is a rare breeder, and Lesser scaup has never bred in the UK as far as I am aware. Head shape, extent of blaze and bill pattern/structure are also supportive of TD over either Scaup species.
What was it about this bird that made you think it isn't a TD?

 

[Essex Tern]

Yes Tufted for me also for reasons above and more.

Blaze is a new term for me, but yes the white on the face should be stronger and wider for Scaup, the black on the bill extends further than the nail and is untidy In doing so, and the body shows no grey feathering and there is contrast between back and side, where Scaup would be more uniform.

But seeing a female Tufted with any extent of white does always cause me to double take also, and I imagine that was the key reasoning behind the initial ID thoughts.

 

[Nutcracker]

But seeing a female Tufted with any extent of white does always cause me to double take also, and I imagine that was the key reasoning behind the initial ID thoughts.

Not for nothing that they get called 'Scaup-faced Tufties'!


Given that Tufties and [Greater] Scaup have a long history of occasional interbreeding, it is quite possible that the occasional white face patch represents remnant bits of Scaup DNA present in the wider Tufty population (a bit like almost all Humans have just a little Neanderthal DNA). Not sure if this has ever been tested?