# Greater Scaup (*Aythya marila*) The Greater Scaup is a beautiful duck that loves to swim in lakes and ponds. They have a striking green head and a round body, making them easy to spot when they are floating on the water. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Wetlands - **Also known as:** Scaup ![Greater Scaup](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/2014-04-14_Aythya_marila%252C_female%252C_Killingworth_Lake%252C_Northumberland_04.jpg&width=800) Photo: MPF, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2014-04-14_Aythya_marila%252C_female%252C_Killingworth_Lake%252C_Northumberland_04.jpg) ## Appearance The Greater Scaup is a medium-sized diving duck. Males have a glossy black head that often shines purple or green in light, a grey back, and bright white sides. Females are brown with a distinctive white patch at the base of their bill. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Anseriformes - **Family:** Anatidae - **Genus:** Aythya ## Interesting facts - A Greater Scaup can hold its breath for over a minute while diving deep to find tasty snacks! - Greater Scaup often gather in enormous flocks called 'rafts' on the water, sometimes numbering thousands! - Their striking golden-yellow eyes glow brightly, helping them see clearly both above and below the water. - They are sometimes called 'bluebills' because of the subtle bluish tint on their wide, shovel-like bills. ## Special abilities - **Deep Dive Dynamo:** Greater Scaup can dive to surprising depths because of their dense bodies and strong leg muscles that help them chase underwater prey. - **Aquatic Vision:** Greater Scaup has excellent underwater vision that helps them spot hidden mussels and other food in murky waters. - **Migration Marathoner:** Greater Scaup can fly thousands of kilometers due to their powerful wings, helping them find warm wintering grounds. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 42-51 cm - **Wingspan:** 71-84 cm - **Weight:** 0.7-1.3 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 80 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 6-13 - **Incubation:** 24-28 days - **Migration Distance:** 5000 km ## Diet & Feeding These ducks love to feast on shellfish and aquatic insects found underwater! - **Age differences:** Young scaup eat more aquatic insects; adults consume more mollusks and crustaceans. - **Primary Foods:** mussels, clams, snails, aquatic insect larvae, crustaceans - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Bald Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bald-eagle) (*Haliaeetus leucocephalus*) — Adults can be preyed upon by this large raptor. - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — Ducklings and sometimes adults are vulnerable to this nocturnal hunter. - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Nests and eggs are often targeted by opportunistic predators. - **Eats:** [Blue Mussel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-mussel) (*Mytilus edulis*) — A primary food source, often consumed in large quantities. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch ducks from a distance and do not feed them bread. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Greater Scaup? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Greater Scaup? 42-51 cm ### What is Greater Scaup's wingspan? 71-84 cm ### How much does Greater Scaup weigh? 0.7-1.3 kg ### How long does Greater Scaup live? 10-15 years ### How fast can Greater Scaup move? 80 km/h ### What does Greater Scaup eat? These ducks love to feast on shellfish and aquatic insects found underwater! ### Where is Greater Scaup usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [McKinley Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mckinley-park) — Wisconsin, US · Park - [New York State Agricultural Experiment Station](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/new-york-state-agricultural-experiment-station) — New York, US · Botanical Garden - [Jackson Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jackson-park) — Illinois, US · Park - [Peace Arch Historical State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/peace-arch-historical-state-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Greater Scaup](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/greater-scaup) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Greater Scaup: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/greater-scaup)