Wildlifeof Vietnam
Greater Scaup
Ducks, Geese & Grebes
Photo: (c) Gavin Slater, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY
Aythya marila
Rare visitor: recorded only occasionally in this country
Basic stats
Diet
Molluscs, crustaceans, aquatic insects and plants
Habitat
Northern lakes when breeding; bays, estuaries and large lakes in winter
Range
Breeds across northern Eurasia and North America; winters on temperate coasts farther south
Clutch size
6–9 eggs
Incubation period
24–28 days
Size
39–56cm
The greater scaup is a medium diving duck, 39–56 cm long. Males have a dark green-glossed head, black breast, pale finely barred back, white flanks, yellow eyes and a broad blue-grey bill. Females are brown with a large white patch around the bill base. Compared with tufted duck it lacks a crest, has a rounder head and shows a broader white wing stripe extending through the primaries (Wikipedia, general species account).
It breeds beside tundra and boreal lakes across northern Eurasia and North America, then migrates to bays, estuaries and large lakes on temperate coasts; Vietnam lies well south of its core winter range and records are scarce. Flocks form dense rafts and dive 0.5–6 m, occasionally deeper, for molluscs, crustaceans, aquatic insects and plants. Females nest near water and incubate six to nine eggs for 24–28 days (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What does the Greater Scaup eat?
- Molluscs, crustaceans, aquatic insects and plants
- What habitat does the Greater Scaup live in?
- Northern lakes when breeding; bays, estuaries and large lakes in winter
- Where is the Greater Scaup found?
- Breeds across northern Eurasia and North America; winters on temperate coasts farther south
- How many eggs does the Greater Scaup lay?
- 6–9 eggs
- How long are the eggs of the Greater Scaup incubated?
- 24–28 days
- How big is the Greater Scaup?
- 39–56cm