Wildlifeof Nepal
Greater Scaup
Ducks, Geese & Grebes
Photo: (c) Gavin Slater, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY
Aythya marila
Basic stats
Diet
Aquatic molluscs, plants and insects, caught by diving to 0.5–6m
Habitat
Nests near water, typically on islands in northern lakes or floating vegetation
Clutch size
6–9 olive-buff eggs
Incubation period
24–28 days
Size
39–56cm
Wingspan
71–84cm
Weight
726–1,360g
The greater scaup is a mid-sized diving duck, 39 to 56cm long with a wingspan of 71 to 84cm, larger than the lesser scaup and tufted duck. Males have a light blue-grey bill and yellow eyes, a dark head with a green to purple gloss, a black breast, white belly, pale grey upperparts and a strong white wing stripe. Females are mostly brown with a white patch on the face (Wikipedia, general species account).
It spends the summer breeding from Iceland east across Scandinavia, northern Russia and Siberia to Alaska and northern Canada, and in winter migrates south to coasts of Europe, eastern Asia and North America. It dives for aquatic molluscs, plants and insects. After the eggs are laid the drake leaves for a large, isolated lake to moult. The sources opened do not describe it in Nepal.
Quick answers
- What does the Greater Scaup eat?
- Aquatic molluscs, plants and insects, caught by diving to 0.5–6m
- What habitat does the Greater Scaup live in?
- Nests near water, typically on islands in northern lakes or floating vegetation
- How many eggs does the Greater Scaup lay?
- 6–9 olive-buff eggs
- How long are the eggs of the Greater Scaup incubated?
- 24–28 days
- How big is the Greater Scaup?
- 39–56cm
- What is the wingspan of the Greater Scaup?
- 71–84cm
- How much does the Greater Scaup weigh?
- 726–1,360g