Length: 16 inches Wing span: 25 inches
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.
Lesser and Greater Scaup are very similar.
Lesser Scaup — Head appears taller with a peak at the back, head drops down sharply from the peak. The head has a less rounded appearance.
Male Lesser Scaup with a “purple” head. Head can have a purplish or green sheen. Photograph © Glenn Bartley.
The high point on the head of this scaup is toward the back of the head. The neck of the Lesser Scaup is thinner than the Greater Scaup. Photograph © Greg Lavaty.
Female Lesser Scaup. Generally a non-descript brown, white at base of bill is a good indication that this is either a Lesser or Greater Scaup. Photograph © Alan Wilson.
Male Lesser Scaup with a green and purple head. Head color varies by angle of observation and lighting conditions. Note the narrow black tip on the bill, called the Nail. You can also just make out the hint of a peak on the back of the head. Photograph © Glenn Bartley.
Note the tiny tuft on the back of the head of this scaup, a good mark for the Lesser Scaup. Photograph © Glenn Bartley.
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Identification Challenge
Photograph © Greg Lavaty.
OK, get out your ruler. Is the highest point on the top of the head of this bird in front of the eye or behind it? If in front, it is a Greater Scaup, if behind a Lesser. The bill on this duck seems large, pointing to a Great Scaup.
The head looks flat on top and more rounded than Lesser?
So is it a Greater or Lesser Scaup?
Note the dark eye, indicative of a first year bird. Photograph © Alan Wilson.
Female scaup. Photograph © Tom Grey
The head and chest on this bird are very red with a hint of purple. The head has more of a peak than the more rounded head of the Greater Scaup. Photograph © Tom Grey.
Male in flight. Lesser Scaup have less white in the wings than Greater, but the difference is small. Photograph © Glenn Bartley.
Lesser Scaup in Flight
All of the following image are of Lesser Scaup in flight.
The shape of the head varies from bird to bird, with some being more easily identified as Lesser Scaup. Note the first bird has a green sheen on the head, the 2nd has a purple sheen.
Photograph © Glenn Bartley.
Wing linings white. Photograph © Glenn Bartley.
Photograph © Greg Lavaty.
Photograph © Greg Lavaty
Photograph © Glenn Bartley
Photograph © Glenn Bartley.
Photograph © Glenn Bartley.
Photograph © Glenn Bartley.
Photograph © Sam Crowe