Lesser Scaup Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesLesser Scaup
Male
Medium-sized diving duck with a tall, peaked head. Glossy black head, front, and rear with a gray back and white sides. Head is purplish-iridescent, but is only visible with ideal lighting.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, March 04, 2011Female
Medium-sized diving duck with a tall, peaked head and a fairly straight bill. Females are rich brown overall, with a darker head and white patch next to the bill. Note that the back of the head is flat.
© Dorian Anderson / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 07, 2018Breeding male
Found on lakes and ponds during migration and winter. Note the peaked head and that the back of the head is flat.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, November 08, 2014Not all videos have sound
Male
All plumages have a white wing stripe that extends halfway along the wing (through the secondaries), but usually does not reach the primary feathers.
© Dorian Anderson / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 13, 2019Immature male
Nonbreeding males have a dark head with a yellow eye. The body is mottled brown-gray.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, February 12, 2011Female
Medium-sized diving duck with a peaked head and a smallish straight bill. Females can show only small amounts of white on the face like this individual. They acquire yellow eyes with age.
© Tim Lenz / Macaulay LibraryNew York, December 03, 2020Female
Medium-sized diving duck with a peak to the back of the head (inconspicuous in some postures), and head that is often darker than body. Can be very difficult to tell from Greater Scaup.
© Jonathan Irons / Macaulay LibraryMaryland, January 11, 2020Habitat
Often uses shallow freshwater lakes and ponds on migration. In winter also occurs in bays, estuaries, and lagoons.
© Dennis Mersky / Macaulay LibraryOhio, March 12, 2019Similar SpeciesGreater Scaup
Breeding male
The back of the head is rounder than on Lesser Scaup. The head also appears more peaked in front of the head.
© Rajdeep Mitra / Macaulay LibraryWest Bengal, March 05, 2017Similar SpeciesGreater Scaup
Female
The back of the head is rounder than on Lesser Scaup.
© Mark Scheuerman / Macaulay LibraryTexas, January 28, 2017Similar SpeciesGreater Scaup
Immature male
In flight, Greater Scaup have more extensive white in the secondaries than Lesser Scaup.
© Chris Wood / Macaulay LibraryNew York, February 08, 2009Similar SpeciesRing-necked Duck
Adult male and female
Ring-necked Ducks have a darker back than Greater Scaup and a white spur on their sides.
© Gerrit VynWashington, March 09, 2012Similar SpeciesRing-necked Duck
Female
Females have a capped look that female Lesser Scaup lack. They also have a white ring around the bill and eye that Lesser Scaup do not have.
© terence zahner / Macaulay LibraryArizona, March 05, 2017Similar SpeciesRedhead
Breeding male
From a distance, the sides are darker gray (not white) than Lesser Scaup.
© Greg Gillson / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 22, 2015Similar SpeciesRedhead
Female
Female Redheads are paler overall than female Lesser Scaup
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, January 29, 2005Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl(Order: Anseriformes, Family: Anatidae)
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