98 
ANSERIFORMES 
Field Marks. In general, male Scaups appear black for the front half of body 
and white for the remainder, a colour pattern visible at considerable distances. 
At rest, distinguished from the male Ring-neck by light instead of black back, and in 
flight, in any plumage, by the white instead of grey speculum. An experienced eye can 
sometimes tell the two Scaups apart in life by the colour characters of the primaries as 
above, otherwise, as size is a deceptive character, they are probably inseparable in the 
field. The female is distinguished from all other white-bellied brown ducks, except the 
Greater Scaup and the Ring-neck, by the white spot at the base of the bill, and from the 
latter as well as the Redhead and Canvas- back by the white instead of grey speculum. 
Nesting. On the ground, near grassy ponds. 
Distribution. Across the continent. Breeds throughout the Canadian west, north to 
near the Arctic coast. 
This is the Scaup commonly breeding throughout the Canadian 
prairies and southern British Columbia. All records of the Greater nesting 
within this area have proved upon investigation to be this species. 
“The Lesser is the most numerous Scaup on the prairies, as the Greater 
is on the coast. They are both deep water feeders, diving for their food 
much as do the Canvas-back and Redheads, and spend most of their time 
on the open water of the lakes or the shallow bays of the coast. The 
Lesser is most numerous on the plains and marshes just before the freeze- 
up and many migrate only when driven out by the freezing of the waters. 
Such birds are invariably very fat. Scaups are not very enthusiastically 
hunted in the west but are taken in the same manner as Canvas-backs, by 
both flight and decoy shooting. They are speedy flyers, but as they travel 
in straight lines and bunch compactly in the flock, they lose the advantage 
of their speed, and are easily shot.” 
151. Common Golden-eye. whistler, whistlewing, greathead. (Incorrectly 
wood duck.) le garrot coMMUN. Glaucioneita clangula. L, 20. Plate X B. The male 
is a striking black and white duck with yellow eyes. The female is light coloured, with 
sharply contrasted seal-brown head. 
Distinctions. The adult male is too distinct in coloration to be confused with any- 
thing except Barrow's Golden-eye. The juvenile male and female can be distinguished 
from all similar birds by general lightness; back ashy grey rather 
than brownish, and seal-brown head sharply contrasting with 
a white neck. The adult male differs from the male of Barrow’s 
Golden-eye in having greenish instead of purple reflections to 
head, oval instead of crescentic white face mark; flank, feather 
group with narrower black border and with considerably more 
white in wing and back pattern. Juvenile males and females can 
best be separated by the shape of the bill. In this species, the 
bill (Figure 145, compare with Figure 149) is larger, longer for 
its height, and of less stubby appearance. It is also of more even 
width with less tapering towards the tip. These bill characters 
may not be as well-marked in all specimens as shown in the 
figures but are generally recognizable. For further differences 
see Barrow’s Golden-eye, the next species. 
Field Marks. In flight, Golden-eyes are large, black and 
white, or grey and white ducks with considerable white on wingS 
Golden-eye; scale, 
to body. The big, round head and short, stocky neck are recog- 
nizable at a distance at which all colour distinctions are lost. 
The loud whistling of the wings in flight is w r elLknowm and suggests one of the most 
common popular names. The species is not likely to be confused with any species but 
Barrow’s Golden-eye. Males may be distinguished from Barrow’s by the round instead 
of crescentic white face spot, when that is visible, and, on the water, by the relative amount 
of black and white displayed. This species, having white flank feathers normally covering 
the edge of the wing and more wiiite in back and wing, appears as mostly white on the 
body instead of mostly black as in Barrow’s Golden-eye (Figure 146). Juveniles and females 
