70 
all kinds of Ducks. One of the first steps to attract Ducks to reservations 
and private waters should be the clearing out of carp and the planting of 
wild celery and wild rice Zizania aquatica. 
148. Greater Scaup Duck. AMERICAN SCAUP. BROAD-BILL. GREATER OR LAKE 
BLUEBILL. FR.—MORILLON A THTE NOIRE. Marila marila. L, 18-50. A medium-sized 
Duck—male, white below; head, neck, and upper breast black; and a black and white 
vermiculated canvas-like back. Females without canvas-back; blacks reduced to reddish 
browns of various shades; white face mark at base of bill. 
Distinctions. Greater and Lesser Scaups are of almost exactly similar coloration 
but can usually be distinguished by size, or by shape and size of terminal nail on bill. Nail 
proportionately wider and more nearly circular in the Greater. Head of adult Greater 
Scaup has greenish gloss instead of changing to slightly purple on crown. Reddish 
shade on heads of young and females sometimes quite noticeable, and they may be mis- 
taken for the Canvas-back, Redhead, or sometimes the Golden-eye, but white spot at 
base of bill and across forehead, or white wing patch are always distinctive of the Scaups. 
Ring-necked Duck, which also resembles them, has grey speculum instead of white. 
Field Marks. Almost impossible to distinguish the two Scaups in life. Males of both 
species in flight appear black on front third of body and on the remainder except tail, 
but including secondary wing quills, white. White face mark at base of bill, as above, 
is best field mark for female. 
Nesting. On ground, in grass near grassy ponds. 
Distribution. - <ncommon migrant and rare breeder on Atlantic coast; common 
on Great Lakes; nesis in numbers in northwest. 
The Gre% » Scaup is more of an open water bird than the Lesser as 
is indicated by Jue of its common names, but it often comes with other 
species into the marshes for wild celery and rice. 
149. Lesser Scaup Duck. RIVER BROAD-BILL. LITTLE OR MARSH BLUEBILL. 
FR.—LE PETIT MORILLON. Marila affinis. L, 16-50. Almost exactly similar to the last 
but a little smaller. Crown of adult male has a purplish instead of greenish gloss as on 
other parts of head. 
Distinctions. See previous species. 
Field Marks. See previous species. Scaups in life distinguished from each other 
only by size. 
Nesting. On ground, near grassy ponds. 
Distribution. Slightly less common in eastern Canada than the preceding. Breeds 
in western Canada and occasionally farther east to Great Lakes. 
This is one of the commonest ducks away from the seacoast and 
more of a marsh and small-water bird than the preceding. 
150. Ring-necked Duck. RING-BILLED DUCK. FR.—MORILLON ACOLLIER. Marila 
collaris. LL, 16-50. Very close in coloration to preceding two species, but without the 
canvas-coloured back; with a light ring about bill near end, and faint brown or copper- 
coloured ring about neck. 
Distinctions. Young Ring-necks and females may be mistaken for either the Scaups, 
Golden-eye, Redhead, or Canvas-back!, but may be distinguished from the Scaups by 
the grey instead of white speculum, the female by fine white eye ring, and from any of 
the other ducks by white face marks usually connected across chin. 
Field Marks. Male can be told from the Scaups by its black back, and female by 
ve white chin and fine light eye ring; and either, in adult plumage, by light ring on the 
Nesting. On ground, near grassy ponds. 
Distribution. Scarce migrant in the east where it once nested occasionally; scarce 
on Great Lakes; breeds regularly in the west. 
151. Golden-eye. WHISTLE-WING. WHISTLER. GREAT HEAD. FR.—LA  BUOCH- 
PHALE D’AMERIQUE. PLONGEUR. Clangula Clangula. L, 20. A rather large, heavily 
built duck, strikingly coloured in black and white. The back and head are black; the 
remainder of the plumage, including a very conspicuous circular spot between the eye 
1See footnote, p. 63. 
