1. Gadwalls, however, avoid direct competition with these two divers (and other dabblers) during the breeding season by delaying the onset of nesting. Lesser scaup also have a smaller, less-round, purple-tinted head than greater scaup. I went back and compared pictures from a few weeks ago with a Lesser Scaup picture from last year and saw the difference. GREATER SCAUP BY PIERRE DEVICHE, PHOENIX, AZ 85048, DEVICHE@ASU.EDU Winter in Arizona is the season to search for and study the many northern-breeding ducks that overwinter in this region. Similar in size (1.8 pounds for lesser scaup vs. 1.6 pounds for ringnecks), the two ducks also share a common appearance, except that, paradoxically, the ringneck … Lesser and greater scaup are often found together. We have a drake Scaup on the patch at the moment, in some photos it shows a black nail and others a black tip to the bill, very peculiar! Also the scaup has a grey back while the Ring-neck’s back is black. The white wing stripe does not extend strongly into the primaries. It is generally grayer on the Ring-necked Duck but can be whiter than this particular duck. Note the white eye ring and white band near the tip of the bill. Lesser scaup: Looking very similar to the ring-necked at first glance, the lesser scaup is slightly larger and features a gray bill that lacks the white accents of the ring-necked. A strong and fast flier, it is able to take flight by springing up directly from the water, without the laborious take-off run of most diving ducks. Scaup for me, though second photo seems to show a bit of scraggy ness to the back of the head. This ringer is a female Ring-necked Duck. The smaller size of the lesser scaup is very obvious. Ring-necked Ducks are the most common species found wintering in South Carolina, but substantial numbers of scaup, and nearly all Lesser Scaup, have been sighted in Charleston Harbor, on Bull Island, and in the nearshore waters of the Atlantic Ocean. At this time of year, most ducks are readily identified based on … Male Scaup. Image J shows a female Greater Scaup second from right. Ring-necked duck. 2011). Following are some of the areas divers are found and the tactics that will consistently put them in the bag. The neck, breast and upper mantle are glossy black. Diving ducks can be hunted in a wide variety of habitats ranging from small marshes to large lakes and saltwater bays. The white at the base of the bill of a Ring-necked Duck can be very similar to the same area on a scaup. Ring-necked Duck: Scoters (Melanitta) Northern Pintail: Greater Scaup: Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus) ... Gadwalls, for example, feed as far from shore as Lesser Scaup and Redheads. Despite the name, the ring on its neck is Although it mixes freely with other diving ducks on large lakes in winter, the Ring-neck is also found on small, tree-lined ponds, and associating with dabbling ducks on shallow waters. J Images K and L are of a male Lesser Scaup present at Griffin Park on 9 December 2005. Maybe Scaup possess some sort of Chameleon abilities to change bill pattern at will Since I had never seen a Ring-necked Duck before (at least while knowing what it was) I walked back down today to see if there were any still there. A male Ring-necked Duck is also present. LESSER VS. Additionally, their backs are gray as opposed to black. Her proportionately larger and deeper bill can be seen. In North America diving ducks are comprised of canvasbacks, redheads, ring-necked ducks, greater scaup and lesser scaup. intervals for the ring-necked duck in the eastern survey area. https://birdhybrids.blogspot.com/2014/04/ring-necked-duck-x-lesser-scaup.html Male lesser scaup have a glossy black head with a purple cast. (Taken from Zimpfer et al. L are of a Ring-necked Duck but can be seen with a scaup... Duck in the eastern survey area head with a lesser scaup also have a black. 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