Scaup

The Scaup, Aythya marila, is a diving duck that is to be found in the colder regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It will be most commonly observed after the breeding season when the ducks migrate southwards; breeding occurring in the Arctic north.

In the Americas there are two different Scaup, the European Scaup, Aythya marila, is known as the Greater Scaup, and the Lesser Scaup, Aythya affinis, which is found almost exclusively in North and Central America. The two ducks are very similar, with matching characteristics, although the Lesser Scaup is smaller than the Greater Scaup.

Greater Scaup - Calibas - Released into PD

The Greater Scaup is a relatively large diving duck, and on average has a body length of 45cm, with a wingspan of 75cm. The Scaup is sometimes confused with other ducks, including the Tufted Duck but does have some distinctive characteristics.

The male Scaup has a black head, with black shoulders, breasts and tail, with a light grey back. It additionally also has a white bottom and white flanks. In contrast the female Scaup is predominantly brown, with a few grey speckles on the flanks, there is also some white located at the base of the duck’s bill.

Occasionally referred to as Bluebill, the bill of the Scaup is sometimes blue although in most lights, it appears greyer in colour.

The Scaup is generally a cold weather bird and breeds over the warmer months in the Arctic regions; in the United Kingdom less than five mating pairs breed every year.

During the breeding season though the female Scaup will lay up to ten eggs, and will incubate them for between three and four weeks. Young Scaups are very self-sufficient and within a matter of weeks will be able to swim and fly as good as their parents.

Scaups are migratory and will travel south as the harshness of the Arctic winter sets in; this means that Scaups can be found in North America, Europe and Asia. There are no exact figures for the number of Scaups that migrate, although it is believed that there has been a steady decrease in numbers due to hunting and disease.

In both the migratory and breeding grounds, Scaups have a preference for saltwater, and will often be found around various coastlines, although some do go further inland to settle on and around lakes and marshes.

The habitats chosen by the Scaups are based to a great deal on their diet, with favoured food being shellfish and insects, although aquatic plant life is also eaten.

Scaup Flapping - Duncan - CC-BY-SA-2.0

Many birds are given names in honour of individuals or from characteristics, there is though some debate about why the Scaup is actually named as it is. The most popular reason put forward is that it is named after the noise it makes, scaup scaup; in much the same way that the Whooper Swan is named as it is.

There is though a counter claim for its naming, where it may have been named after the scalp, the bed of shellfish from which the bird feeds.

The Scaup is a bird that is a welcome visitor to many countries, and adds to the variety of birds that can be observed for much of the year. To survive though, it may well need some protection in future, especially if numbers decline at their current rate.

Copyright - First Published 3rd March 2010