Bird Guide

Greater Scaup vs Long-tailed Duck

Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)

Greater Scaup

Aythya marila

Large1.0 kgWetland

The adult greater scaup is 39–56 cm (15–22 in) long with a 71–84 cm (28–33 in) wingspan and a weight of 726–1,360 g (1.601–2.998 lb). It has a light blue bill with a small black nail on the tip, yellow eyes, and is 20% heavier and 10% longer than the closely related lesser scaup. The male has a dark head with a green to purple sheen, a black breast, a light back, a black tail, and a white underside. The drake or male is larger and has a more rounded head than the female. The drake's belly and flanks are a bright white.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Tom Kennedy · CC BY 4.0
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)

Long-tailed Duck

Clangula hyemalis

Large871 gWetland

Adults have white underparts, though the rest of the plumage goes through a complex moulting process. The male has a long pointed tail (10 to 15 cm (3.9 to 5.9 in) long) and a dark grey bill crossed by a pink band. In winter, the male has a dark cheek patch on a mainly white head and neck, a dark breast and mostly white body. In summer, the male is dark on the head, neck and back with a white cheek patch. The female has a brown back and a relatively short pointed tail. In winter, the female's head and neck are white with a dark crown. In summer, the head is dark.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Maria Kohanovskaya · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Greater Scaup and Long-tailed Duck.