Two scaup and the similar Ring-necked duck
can make identification an
interesting, but not impossible puzzle. Lesser and
Greater Scaup drakes can
be a little difficult to tell apart at first, but
there are a couple things to look for.
First and best, get the sun behind you as you
approach the water. Both scaup
have a black tail, white sides, gray back, black
chest and a blue/gray bill.
Examine the rounded head for color: Greater is
green, Lesser is purple.
Now take a look at the pictures below and decide
for yourself what you found.
(Answers at the bottom
of the page.)
#1 
#2 
#3 
Compare the body colors of this
duck to #1 and #2.
Notice the different head shape and striped bill!
Need a hint?
This duck is named for a cinnamon band around the
base of its neck.
(The band is nearly impossible to
see in the field, unless the bird is in your
hand.)
Answers
below
#1 and #2: Did you say Lesser Scaup? Good
job!
#3: The Ring-necked Duck is often misidentified
as a Lesser Scaup.
