The greater scaup is a medium-sized diving duck. It is 15-22 inches (38.1-55.9 cm) in length with a wingspan of 28-30 inches (71.1-76.2 cm).
It has a rounded head, bright yellow eyes, and a grayish-blue bill with a black tip. The male has a black chest and tail, white sides, and a barred gray back. His head and neck look black, but they are actually greenish-black.
The female is brown and has a white patch at the base of her bill. Both the male and the female have a white wing stripe and a white belly.
The greater scaup looks very similar to the lesser scaup.
The greater scaup dives for mollusks and for the seeds, leaves, stems, roots, and tubers of aquatic plants. It can dive to depths of up to 23 feet (7 m). It returns to the surface of the water to eat its food.
Male and female pairs form in late winter or early spring. The female lays 5-13 eggs in a depression in the ground lined with grass and down. Nests are usually located close to the water or on an island and are usually well hidden by vegetation.
The male leaves when the female begins to incubate the eggs. The female incubates the eggs for 23-28 days. The chicks are precocial. Shortly after hatching, the female leads them to water where they feed themselves. The ducklings fledge when they are 40-45 days old.
The greater scaup has a lifespan of 10-15 years. The oldest greater scaup on record was 20 years old.
The greater scaup usually gathers in large rafts or floating groups, sometimes containing thousands of birds.
The greater scaup gets its name from the “scaup scaup” call it makes. It is also sometimes called the “blue-bill.”
Support for NatureWorks Redesign is provided by:
The greater scaup does not breed in New Hampshire, but it does winter along the coast.
The greater scaup breeds from Alaska east to Labrador, Canada. It winters along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of southern Canada and the United States.
The greater scaup is also found in the Gulf Coast, the Great Lakes, and in Europe and Asia.
NHPBS inspires one million Granite Staters each month with engaging and trusted local and national programs on-air, online, in classrooms and in communities.
