Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)

Male; note purple gloss on head.	General Description: Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)are small, sexually dimorphic pond ducks. Males have white sides, and otherwise are black. The bill is bluish and uniform in color (compare with Ring-necked Duck). Females are mottled brown overall with white around the dark bill. In flight, both genders show white on the trailing half of the secondaries (primaries are all black; again, compare with Ring-necked Duck). Favored Habitat: Inland ponds and marshes.
Female	Where to Find: Lesser Scaup are not common around Las Vegas, but look for them at the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, the Pahranagat Valley, and the Overton Wildlife Management Area.
	Comments: Difficult to tell from Greater Scaup (Aythya marila). Lesser Scaup are more likely to be seen around Las Vegas because they tend to be more inland than Greater Scaup. Lesser Scaup males may show a purple gloss on the head, whereas Greater Scaup show a green gloss. Lesser Scaup are said to have a peaked head, but as these photos show, the head can be just as round as Greater Scaup.
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Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
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© Jim Boone; Last updated 080205