Scaup,Tricky ID

Lesser Scaup

Lesser Scaup

2 Species of Scaup are being seen on Sanibel, FL now. Beautiful ducks that breed mainly in Canada, AK, and the Arctic. Told apart by head shape, the Lesser has a steep forehead that rounds off to a high, short somewhat peaked crown with a slight corner at the rear. the Greater Scaup's head has a horizontal sometimes slightly rectangular appearance. Fairly steep forehead rounds out into a fairly long crown. In general head length is greater than height and the opposite in Lesser Scaup. For more complete information see our best-selling national The Stokes Field Guide to Birds of North America and the East/West editions