Lesser Scaup

Scientific name: Aythya affinis

Gregarious in winter over large parts of the U.S., the abundant Lesser Scaup breeds primarily in boreal forest regions of Canada. Lesser Scaup migrate late in the season, when lakes freeze, and travel nocturnally in flocks.

Nests of Lesser Scaup are sometimes parasitized by other duck species, and may contain Redhead, Canvasback, Ruddy Duck, or other duck eggs. The scaup appear to be unaffected by this, and raise the same number of their own young whether their nest was parasitized or not.

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