New Zealand Scaup

About

A small compact all-dark diving duck with a yellow eye in males, known in New Zealand as the 'black teal.' Endemic to New Zealand. The only native diving duck still widespread on both main islands. Gregarious; forms large flocks on deep mountain lakes.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Wingspan	35.4 cm	13.9 in
Weight	645.5 g	22.77 oz

Identification

Plumage

Males entirely black with green iridescence on head; yellow eye; dark blue-gray bill. Females dark brown with white face patches around bill base. White wing stripe in flight. New Zealand endemic diving duck.

Habitat & Range

Deep freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and large rivers across both main islands of New Zealand, particularly on high-country glacial lakes. Dives to depths of over 3 m for food. Forms large flocks in winter.

🏖️ Coastal 🌿 Wetland

Geographic Range

Breeds in the boreal forests of Canada; winters on large lakes and coastal bays across the southern United States.

Diet & Feeding

Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; diet dominated by benthic hard-shelled prey in coastal habitats.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: CP. Incubation: 27-31 days. Fledging: 49-75 days.

Clutch Size

2-13

Sound

Song

Male produces a low, soft wheeze; female gives a short, harsh quack. Relatively quiet; subdued vocalizations suit this diving duck of deep, clear New Zealand lakes and reservoirs.

Taxonomy

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

Distribution

New Zealand Scaup has been recorded in 5 countries.

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Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇫🇷 France 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the New Zealand Scaup eat?

Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; diet dominated by benthic hard-shelled prey in coastal habitats.

Where does the New Zealand Scaup live?

Deep freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and large rivers across both main islands of New Zealand, particularly on high-country glacial lakes. Dives to depths of over 3 m for food. Forms large flocks in winter.

Is the New Zealand Scaup endangered?

The New Zealand Scaup has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the New Zealand Scaup nest?

Nest type: CP. Incubation: 27-31 days. Fledging: 49-75 days.

What does the New Zealand Scaup sound like?

Male produces a low, soft wheeze; female gives a short, harsh quack. Relatively quiet; subdued vocalizations suit this diving duck of deep, clear New Zealand lakes and reservoirs.

How big is the New Zealand Scaup?

The New Zealand Scaup has a wingspan of 35.4 cm, weight of 645.5 g.

What order and family does the New Zealand Scaup belong to?

The New Zealand Scaup (Aythya novaeseelandiae) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.