ANDERSON — THE BIRDS OF IOWA. fjS 



42. (148). Ayt/iya marila Linn. Greater Scaup Duck. 



The Great Scaup, Blackhead, or Bluebill is a common migrant 

 in Iowa. It usually appears in large flocks early in the spring and 

 late in the fall and shows a tendenc}' to bunch together closely in 

 the water. There are no recent records of the species breeding 

 in the state. W. \V. Cooke (Bird Migr. in Miss. Val., 71), says: 

 "The most southern breeding record of this species was at Clear 

 Lake, Iowa (lat. 43° 26')." John Krider (Fortj- Years' Notes of 

 a Field Ornithologist, 74) sa3-s of Fulix marila Baird: " I found 

 one breeding in Iowa in 1874. Eggs eight. Shot the parent bird 

 in Lime Creek."- 



The Greater Scaup is reported by nearly all observers as a com- 

 mon migrant, but as somewhat rare by Currier and Praeger (Keo- 

 kuk district), and by Savage (Van Buren). 



43. (149). Aythya aifinis (Eyt.). Lesser Scaup Duck. 



The Lesser Scaup, Little Blackhead, or Little Bluebill is a com- 

 mon migrant over all parts of the state, being classed as abundant 

 by some observers. It seems to be generally more numerous than 

 the preceding species, which it resembles in appearance and hab- 

 its, and with which it is often confused. 



The Lesser Scaup is known to nest in Iowa, but very rarely and 

 locally. W. W. Cooke (Bird Migr. in Miss. Val., 71) says that it 

 is known to breed as far south as Clear Lake, Iowa. John Krider 

 gives the species as breeding in Iowa and Minnesota (Forty Years' 

 Notes, 74). 



\Vm. E. Praeger reports it to be "an abundant migrant. Evi- 

 dence as to its breeding is circumstantial. I have positively iden- 

 tified the birds on June 11 and July 4. Have heard several times 

 of broods seen with their parents in the neighborhood, and all • 

 hunters say it breeds, but of course you know what questionable 

 recorders they are. However, I am of the opinion that it breeds 

 in small numbers" (Keokuk district). 



From the same locality Edmonde S. Currier reports: "Summer 

 resident, rare; winter resident, not common; migrant, abundant. 

 I know this bird to be a rare summer resident along the Missis- 

 sippi, near Keokuk, and have observed it in June and July. June 

 25, 1896, an old duck and four young were seen in the canal three 

 miles north of Keokuk, and three of the young were killed. I 



