Scaups

Need help identifying a bird? Please post your question here and if possible include a photo. Also let us know where and when you saw the bird. Other things that help are listing any field marks that stood out, behavioral information like how it walked, hopped or flew. This Forum is just for North American birds.
Post Reply
Kansabirdguy
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2026 8:10 pm
Location: Kansas
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 31 times

Scaups

Post by Kansabirdguy »

Today in Riley county ks not sure if these are identifiable
Attachments
IMG_9707.jpeg
IMG_9707.jpeg (2.39 MiB) Viewed 418 times
IMG_9713.jpeg
IMG_9713.jpeg (2.35 MiB) Viewed 418 times
User avatar
Charlie Spencer
Posts: 101
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2026 8:08 pm
Location: Sunset Harbor, North Carolina
Has thanked: 153 times
Been thanked: 109 times
Contact:

Re: Scaups

Post by Charlie Spencer »

M R Ducks.
Sunset Harbor NC USA
User avatar
Aidan B
Posts: 61
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2026 5:43 pm
Location: Humboldt County, California
Has thanked: 61 times
Been thanked: 145 times

Re: Scaups

Post by Aidan B »

Don't think these are identifiable, but I'm getting Lesser Scaup vibes from most of them.
User avatar
Hooded Robin
Posts: 25
Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2026 2:15 pm
Has thanked: 35 times
Been thanked: 40 times

Re: Scaups

Post by Hooded Robin »

There are also some Greater plus a Redhead and a Merganser.
Kansabirdguy
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2026 8:10 pm
Location: Kansas
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 31 times

Re: Scaups

Post by Kansabirdguy »

Definitely mostly lesser but some looked really good for greater to me but I’m still not great with that identification
Kansabirdguy
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2026 8:10 pm
Location: Kansas
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 31 times

Re: Scaups

Post by Kansabirdguy »

How about these two
Attachments
IMG_9711.jpeg
IMG_9711.jpeg (604.38 KiB) Viewed 391 times
Kansabirdguy
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2026 8:10 pm
Location: Kansas
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 31 times

Re: Scaups

Post by Kansabirdguy »

Is this identifiable
Attachments
IMG_9720.jpeg
IMG_9720.jpeg (2.72 MiB) Viewed 371 times
Kansabirdguy
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2026 8:10 pm
Location: Kansas
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 31 times

Re: Scaups

Post by Kansabirdguy »

Here’s some more that I think look good for greater Scaup
Kansabirdguy
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2026 8:10 pm
Location: Kansas
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 31 times

Re: Scaups

Post by Kansabirdguy »

Here
Attachments
cachedImage.jpeg
cachedImage.jpeg (151.57 KiB) Viewed 343 times
cachedImage.jpeg
cachedImage.jpeg (43.45 KiB) Viewed 343 times
User avatar
Hooded Robin
Posts: 25
Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2026 2:15 pm
Has thanked: 35 times
Been thanked: 40 times

Re: Scaups

Post by Hooded Robin »

I was hoping others might chime in on this thread.
I think the last photo is a Lesser or a /, the previous two look good for Greater (at least to me, although the more experience I get the less confidence with some birds - still convinced they hybridize).
User avatar
AveryF
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2026 3:29 am
Location: Tennessee
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 29 times
Contact:

Re: Scaups

Post by AveryF »

The female/immature Scaups you posted look good for Greater. A few males and a female in the first photos posted, last photo is a Lesser to me.
Life - 590: Bullock’s Oriole, Tundra Bean-Goose, Western Tanager
Tennessee - 337: Great Cormorant, Vermilion Flycatcher, Rufous Hummingbird
Rutherford - 246: Common Merganser, American Tree Sparrow, Eared Grebe
Kansabirdguy
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2026 8:10 pm
Location: Kansas
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 31 times

Re: Scaups

Post by Kansabirdguy »

Thanks here’s some more from today
Attachments
DSCN7404.jpeg
DSCN7404.jpeg (143.75 KiB) Viewed 323 times
User avatar
AveryF
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2026 3:29 am
Location: Tennessee
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 29 times
Contact:

Re: Scaups

Post by AveryF »

Outer birds are both Greater, middle bird is tough. Nail looks solid for Greater, though on molting birds I don’t entirely trust it, but I can’t judge head shape and eye placement in that photo
Life - 590: Bullock’s Oriole, Tundra Bean-Goose, Western Tanager
Tennessee - 337: Great Cormorant, Vermilion Flycatcher, Rufous Hummingbird
Rutherford - 246: Common Merganser, American Tree Sparrow, Eared Grebe
Kansabirdguy
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2026 8:10 pm
Location: Kansas
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 31 times

Re: Scaups

Post by Kansabirdguy »

Here’s different angle
Attachments
DSCN7406.jpeg
DSCN7406.jpeg (189.88 KiB) Viewed 317 times
User avatar
AveryF
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2026 3:29 am
Location: Tennessee
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 29 times
Contact:

Re: Scaups

Post by AveryF »

Head shape looks good superficially, though I’d still want to watch the bird move around in the field. Don’t know how it’s been in the plains, but we’ve had huge influx of GRSC in Tennessee the past week
Life - 590: Bullock’s Oriole, Tundra Bean-Goose, Western Tanager
Tennessee - 337: Great Cormorant, Vermilion Flycatcher, Rufous Hummingbird
Rutherford - 246: Common Merganser, American Tree Sparrow, Eared Grebe
Kansabirdguy
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2026 8:10 pm
Location: Kansas
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 31 times

Re: Scaups

Post by Kansabirdguy »

Yeah I’ve been seeing several that look good recently
Kansabirdguy
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2026 8:10 pm
Location: Kansas
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 31 times

Re: Scaups

Post by Kansabirdguy »

More pics
Attachments
DSCN7409.jpeg
DSCN7409.jpeg (215.3 KiB) Viewed 311 times
DSCN7405.jpeg
DSCN7405.jpeg (310.63 KiB) Viewed 311 times
User avatar
AveryF
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2026 3:29 am
Location: Tennessee
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 29 times
Contact:

Re: Scaups

Post by AveryF »

With those views, I’m confident with Greater now
Life - 590: Bullock’s Oriole, Tundra Bean-Goose, Western Tanager
Tennessee - 337: Great Cormorant, Vermilion Flycatcher, Rufous Hummingbird
Rutherford - 246: Common Merganser, American Tree Sparrow, Eared Grebe
Post Reply