LESSER SCAUP 



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FEMALE. General effect: A medium-sized, brown duck, with a whitish breast. 

 Chief features (a) hind toe with lobe, (b) white area across face at base of bill, 

 (c) white speculum, but no white on primaries, though three inner ones may be 

 palish. 



Separable from female Greater Scaup by same bill characteristics as given for 

 male, and by difference in white area of the primaries as in male. The white face- 

 patch will separate from all other brown, white-breasted ducks except female Ring- 

 neck, in which the white mask is present but less clearly defined; female Ring-neck 

 has a pearl-grey speculum instead of white. (The white face of the Scaups is absent 

 or indistinct in breeding females.) 



FIELD MARKS 



ON THE WATER. The males appear black in front and whitish for the re- 

 mainder of the body, except for black tail. Female Scaups have brown upper- 

 parts and the chief field mark is the white "mask" around the face near base of 



Left, female Scaup, Middle, male Greater Scaup. Right, male Lesser Scaup. 



bill. The flashy white speculum, of both sexes, is a poor idenifying mark as the 

 flight-feathers of a sitting bird are usually concealed by the feathers of the sides. 

 The male resembles the male Ring-neck, but that species has a much darker back. 

 The female resembles the females of Redhead, Canvas-back and Ring-neck; the 

 two first are much larger, and the last has a definite whitish ring around the eye, 

 clearly visible with glasses if not too distant. 



Lesser Scaups, though somewhat smaller, can be told from the Greater Scaups 

 only when an exceptionally favourable view is obtained. The Lesser is usually 

 found in the marshes or shallower places and the Greater on the larger bodies 

 of water; occasionally they may be found in mixed flocks and the trained observe, 

 aided by good field-glasses, can identify the males of the species, if seen on the 

 water and in flight, by a combination of the following marks: the Lesser has, 

 (a) purple gloss on head, (b) angular shape of head, (c) vermiculated sides, 

 (d) short white wing-stripe. The Greater has, (a) green gloss on head, (b) round 

 smooth head, (c) white sides, (d) long white wing-stripe. 



IN FLIGHT. Males are recognized by their colour pattern of black front- 

 parts, and white sides, breast and speculum; females by the white speculum, brown 

 upperparts and whitish breast. The flight is swift and erratic, with frequent 

 twists and turns, and often in large flocks closely bunched. Both on the water 

 and in the air they are lively, nervous, restless birds. Scaups may be easily confused 

 with Ring-necks but the style of flight of the two species is quite different. See 

 Ring-necked Duck. 



