Bird Gallery Index

Lesser Scaup image © Alan Murphy

Family: (Anatidae) Ducks, Geese and Swans

Preferred Habitat: Lakes and coastal bays

Seasonal Occurrence: Abundant December through February; also fairly common March through May.

Notes: The Lesser Scaup is one of our most common ducks in winter. Females have brown heads and necks with a white patch at base of bill. Lesser Scaups are nicknamed "bluebills". They are placed in the group of diving ducks, since they obtain food by diving and swimming underwater. They are seldom found outside the water and need a running start to take flight. Lesser Scaups can be easily confused with their rarer relative, the Greater Scaup. In recent years Lesser Scaup populations have experienced a marked decline. Studies are being conducted to understand the causes and how to reverse the trend.
- Susan Billetdeaux