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Greater Scaup

Aythya marila

Photo by Alex
Published on Project Noah
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40.5832, -73.9491

Field Notes

Description:

The adult Greater Scaup is 39–56 cm (15–22 in) long with a 71–84 cm (28–33 in) wingspan and a body mass of 726–1,360 g (1.601–2.998 lb). It has a blue bill and yellow eyes and is 20% heavier and 10% longer than the closely related Lesser Scaup. The male has a dark head with a green sheen, a black breast, a light back, a black tail, and a white underside. The drake or male Greater Scaup is larger and has a more rounded head than the female. The drake's belly and flanks are a bright white. Its neck, upper chest, and tail feathers are a glossy black, while its lower flanks are gray. The drake also has a white speculum on its wings. The adult female has a white band and brown oval shaped patches at the base of the bill, which is a slightly duller shade of blue than the drake's bill.

Notes:

A duck species that i havent seen very often in NY, the greater scaup is very similar to the lesser scaup. I am pretty certain it is the greater variety cause of the head shape, but i wasnt able to ask to confirm

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