>> GENERAL >>>>>
– medium-sized duck, slightly smaller than Mallard
– nocturnal/diurnal migrant
– migrates in small to large flocks, in loose formation
>> VISUAL ID >>>>>
Greater Scaup Aythya m. marila, M BREED -> NBREED, F
BIF3693, 29/12/2022, Darß, Germany, Mathias Putze
– both sexes with contrasting white wing bar to dark greater coverts
– AD F with typical extended white face, greyish back difficult to see in flight from side
– AD M with typical greyish light back and grey shoulders
– M in transient plumage with more diffuse border between dark green head, neck and breast, and white belly
Greater Scaup Aythya m. marila, AD M NBREED -> BREED
BIF3697, 29/12/2022, Darß, Germany, Mathias Putze
– bright yellow eyes in all plumages
– blue grey bill shows only small black tip compared to the bill of Tufted Duck
– glossy green head only seen in good light and angle, mostly it appears just black
Greater Scaup Aythya m. marila, F BREED
BIF3698, 29/12/2022, Darß, Germany, Mathias Putze
– F show always distinct white face, which is rarely found in F of Tufted Duck
– contrast between brown upperwing coverts to greyish mottled back
Greater Scaup Aythya m. marila, F BREED
BIF3699, 29/12/2022, Darß, Germany, Mathias Putze
– pure white underwings, brown and grey mottled flanks and white belly
Greater Scaup Aythya m. marila, M F
BIF3695, 29/12/2022, Darß, Germany, Mathias Putze
– upper M in full BREED with uniform grey shoulders contrasting to black greater coverts and the white secondary band
– 1W M (lower male in the background) shows some white in front of bill, but the median and lesser coverts are contrasting grey to darker greater coverts
– F with broad white at bill-base
Greater Scaup Aythya m. marila, M F
BIF2065, 02/01/2018, Rerik, Germany, Roland Neumann
– typical dark and white Aythya-silhoutte
– AD M with sharp border between black breast and white belly
– 2CY (first winter) M (centre left) with more diffuse border between black head, neck and breast, and white belly
Greater Scaup Aythya m. marila, M F
BIF2066, 02/01/2018, Rerik, Germany, Roland Neumann
– F dark brown with distinct white ring at the base of the bill
– plumage not as cleanly patterned as M
Greater Scaup Aythya m. marila, M F
BIF2067, 02/01/2018, Rerik, Germany, Roland Neumann
– against the sky colour not easy to distinguish but F show partly dark flanks
Greater Scaup Aythya m. marila, M F
BIF3696, 29/12/2022, Darß, Germany, Mathias Putze
– both sexes show the white wing bar, same es in Tufted Duck
– on distance the females show their white faces and the males the light grey backs
Greater Scaup Aythya m. marila, M F
BIF2072, 16/12/2016, North Sea, offshore, Roland Neumann
– migrants at dusk: main features are still recognisable (grey back and upperwing coverts in M, large white ring around base of bill in F)
Greater Scaup Aythya m. marila, M F
Common Scoter Melanitta nigra, M F
BIF2073, 16/12/2016, North Sea, offshore, Roland Neumann
– migrants at dusk: flocks usually rather dense
Greater Scaup Aythya m. marila, M F
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula, M F
BIF3700, 29/12/2022, Darß, Germany, Mathias Putze
– bothe species with white bellies, but Greater Scaup with white unterwings instead of dark in Common Goldeneye
– white faces of F Greater Scaup on distance similar to the white rounded loral spot of M Common Goldeneye, but compare the colour of neck and underwing in both species
Greater Scaup Aythya m. marila, M F
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula, M (centre)
BIF2068, 02/01/2018, Rerik, Germany, Roland Neumann
– M of Tufted Duck and Greater Scaup are readily identified when upperside is visible
– white wingbar in both species fades to grey towards wingtip
Greater Scaup Aythya m. marila, M F
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula, M (centre)
BIF2069, 02/01/2018, Rerik, Germany, Roland Neumann
– from below, almost impossible to separate these two species using plumage alone
– note tuft and slightly smaller size and more compact silhouette of Tufted Duck
Greater Scaup Aythya m. marila, M F
BIF2070, 02/01/2018, Rerik, Germany, Roland Neumann
– at distance and against the sky very difficult to determine sex
Greater Scaup Aythya m. marila, M F
BIF2071, 02/01/2018, Rerik, Germany, Roland Neumann
– on flights between feeding and resting grounds, flocks often appear jumbled-up
Greater Scaup Aythya m. marila, M F
BIF2142, 14/02/2018, Kühlungsborn, Germany, Roland Neumann
– flocks on migration are undulating and not particularly tidy
Greater Scaup Aythya m. marila, M F
BIF2143, 14/02/2018, Kühlungsborn, Germany, Roland Neumann
– in bright sunlight above water the white bodyparts strongly blow out resulting in a largely white appearance
– F seem to be white-headed
>> ACOUSTIC ID >>>>>
– usually nonvocal during migration
>> COMPARISON SPECIES >>>>>
Ferruginous Duck (v)
Tufted Duck (v)
Lesser Scaup (v)
Ring-necked Duck (v)
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