HUNTING HORIZONS - Worldwide Hunting Seasons Database

The Greater Scaup [Aythya marila], just Scaup in Europe, is a small diving duck. It breeds on the tundra and at the northern limits of the boreal forest across Arctic and subarctic regions of northern North America, Europe and Asia. They migrate southwards to winter in flocks to coastal waters.
LENGTH: 42-51 cm WEIGHT: 900-1250 g WINGSPAN: 71-80 cm
Rounded head, bluish bill with black tip yellow eyes; both male and female have a white wing stripe and a white belly.
MALE: Black head with green sheen, neck, upper back, rump, breast and undertail black; back, chest and rear end, white sides and belly,
Non Breeding Plumage: Similar to female, but with only a few white feathers on face; head and neck blackish brown, lighter on cheeks and chin; breast dark with some white edging to feathers; back brown with white edges to feathers; under parts mottled brownish and white; tail dark greyish.
FEMALE: Head and neck dark brown with some light mottling, white patch on face at base of the bill; back darkish brown with white flecks; breast light brown with whitish belly; sides and tail brown.
JUVENILE: Similar to adult female.
HABITAT: Breeds by moorland pools, lakes and on the coast; winters in estuaries, coastal bays and inland lakes.
FEEDING: Food consists mainly of molluscs, aquatic insects and aquatic plant material which is obtained by diving and swimming underwater.
CALL: Display call of “scaup scaup; usually silent when not breeding.
FLIGHT: In flight they look much like Tufted Ducks; very dark but with broad white wing bars, the greyer back of the male Scaup should be easily seen.