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Greater Scaup

Aythya marila

Least Concern

Wingspan

42.7 cm

Weight

984.0 g

Family

Anatidae

Order

Anseriformes

About

A medium-sized diving duck. Males have a rounded glossy green-tinged head, white flanks, and black breast; females are brown with white around the bill. Similar to Lesser Scaup but told apart by head shape and nail width. Found on large open water bodies.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Wingspan	42.7 cm	16.8 in
Weight	984.0 g	34.71 oz

Identification

Plumage

Males have glossy green-black rounded head; white flanks and belly; black breast and undertail; gray back. Yellow eye. Bill blue-gray. Females dark brown with white face patch around bill. Longer white wing stripe than Lesser.

Habitat & Range

Breeds on tundra and boreal lakes in the Arctic and subarctic across Eurasia and North America. Winters in large numbers on coastal bays, estuaries, and large lakes in temperate regions.

🏖️ Coastal 🌲 Forest 🌾 Grassland 🌿 Wetland

Geographic Range

Breeds in the high Arctic of North America; winters offshore on the Atlantic coast from Labrador to South Carolina.

Diet & Feeding

Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet shifts between invertebrate types.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: CP. Incubation: 26-28 days. Fledging: 40-45 days.

Clutch Size

4-12

Sound

Song

Male gives a low, purring wheeze; female produces a harsh, rolling quacking sequence. Calls are very similar to Lesser Scaup but slightly lower-pitched; heard on open ocean bays in winter.

Taxonomy

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Order	Anseriformes (Waterfowl)
Family	Anatidae (Ducks, Geese & Swans)
Genus	Aythya
Species	Aythya marila

Distribution

Greater Scaup has been recorded in 5 countries.

{# Distribution Map — simplified SVG world map with highlighted countries. Expects `country_codes` variable: list of ISO alpha-2 codes (e.g. ["US", "CA", "MX"]). Uses Alpine.js to toggle classes on country paths. #}

Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Greater Scaup eat?

Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet shifts between invertebrate types.

Where does the Greater Scaup live?

Breeds on tundra and boreal lakes in the Arctic and subarctic across Eurasia and North America. Winters in large numbers on coastal bays, estuaries, and large lakes in temperate regions.

Is the Greater Scaup endangered?

The Greater Scaup has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the Greater Scaup nest?

Nest type: CP. Incubation: 26-28 days. Fledging: 40-45 days.

What does the Greater Scaup sound like?

Male gives a low, purring wheeze; female produces a harsh, rolling quacking sequence. Calls are very similar to Lesser Scaup but slightly lower-pitched; heard on open ocean bays in winter.

How big is the Greater Scaup?

The Greater Scaup has a wingspan of 42.7 cm, weight of 984.0 g.

What order and family does the Greater Scaup belong to?

The Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.