Lesser vs. Greater Scaup

Carl

Carl

Well-known member
Staff member
You're welcome.
It was nice to have a lesser and greater in hand to make the comparison. The size difference is the clear give away.
 
The size difference is the clear give away.
Click to expand...


I was always looking at Lessers thinking "this one looks a little bigger I better check the wing". Then I finally shot a hen Greater and I thought "Duh, they are freekin' huge." They are built much more like a Redhead then a Lesser.
I'm sure it's helpful seeing them side by side for those wondering if what they shot was a Lesser or Greater. Like you said in hand the size is a clear give away.

Tim
 
Is it true that the head color on the drakes is a reliable way to identify greater vs. lesser? I shot a drake bluebill last week that looked quite small to me but he still had the green-tinted head that greaters usually have. Only drake I got so I didn't have anything to compare him to.
 
No, head color is the least reliable way to tell. A lot of lessers will have a green tinted head.
Body size is the best way.
Greaters are big birds, as large if not larger than redheads, almost mallard size.
The greaters bill is also proportionally wider with a much wider nail.
 
That was my first reaction too, Tim. Where I normally hunted we never even saw greaters and I always wondered if I would be able to tell the difference until I finally shot one. Same reaction, well duh!, they're HUGE.
 
Here's another pic of the greater, notice how white the wings are.

Also notice all those pellet holes in the bill and 2 holes in head, some expert shooting righ there. At least by the 3rd shot it was!

[inline 12-17-11GreaterScaup.jpg ]

View attachment 12-17-11GreaterScaup.jpg
 
I shoot greater almost exclusively in coastal Washington. The other excellent identification key is the amount of white on the secondaries and primaries. Greaters have white all the way out to 8th primary.
 
Here is a picture I shot last week with both species, represented

033.jpg

 
Excellent pic of the difference in wing color! And notice the purple vs green on the head.
 
I dont think I have ever taken both in the same day either. Around here, normally, they are usually in different areas, with the greaters being on the saltier water and lessers up in the estuaries. I believe I've only shot around 5 or 6 greaters on the upper end of Mobile Bay since 1997, while I have shot over a 100 lessers there in that same time period.
 
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