Greater Scaup: a two-minute wildlife lesson

On the Lake · day 4 of 7

Five facts

1. In North America this duck is nicknamed "bluebill". The male's light blue-grey bill stands out against his dark head, which glints green or purple.
2. Its English name probably comes from "scaup", an old word in Scotland and northern England for a shellfish bed, where these ducks feed in winter.
3. With its webbed feet and weight, a greater scaup can dive 6 to 10 m deep and stay under for up to a minute. It eats its catch at the surface.
4. Greater scaup gather in floating flocks called "rafts", which can hold thousands of ducks.
5. Fluffy ducklings can walk, swim and feed themselves soon after hatching, but they cannot fly until they are 40 to 45 days old.

The quiz

1. What is the greater scaup's nickname in North America?

• Redhead
• Bluebill (correct)
• Goldeneye
• Greenwing

It is colloquially called "bluebill" in North America.

2. What does the old word "scaup" probably refer to?

• A mountain lake
• A type of feather
• A bed of shellfish (correct)
• A winter storm

In Scotland and northern England, "scaup" meant a shellfish bed.

3. How long can a greater scaup stay underwater?

• Up to a minute (correct)
• Up to an hour
• Only 1 second
• All night

It can stay submerged for up to a minute.

4. What is a big floating flock of scaup called?

• A tower
• A cloud
• A carpet
• A raft (correct)

Their large groups are called rafts and can number in the thousands.

5. At what age can young greater scaup first fly?

• The day they hatch
• After 40 to 45 days (correct)
• After 2 years
• After 3 days

Ducklings swim and feed early but cannot fly until 40 to 45 days old.

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