In winter, it is often wildfowl to which we turn our attention. IBIS, 126: 484-495. Here lie ample clues to the bird's identity. … First-winter female Lesser Scaup (Caerlaverock WWT, Dumfries and Galloway, 18 February 2007). This bird shows a small, rather Lesser Scaup-like head combined with a rather Tufted Duck-like rear crown tuft and a large bulky Greater Scaup-like body. Tufted ducks lay 8-10 olive grey eggs which the female incubates alone for 26-28 days. He is also author of several books and numerous ID papers. Nous recevons toutes les cartes de crédit importantes de France. This young Tufted Duck looks typically small, squat and short bodied, and the rather flattish crown with a pronounced tuft is shown by no other Aythya. The basic plumage pattern is that of Greater Scaup with green-glossed head and grey mantle, but the latter appears darker due to the coarser vermiculations and the flanks also have subtle grey wavy lines. That on this bird is typical of both Tufted Duck and Greater Scaup: white on the secondaries but progressively greyer or browner across the primaries. The bill also looks large and broad. Copyright © 2000-2020 Dreamstime. It frequents freshwater habitats and can occur anywhere which attracts Aythya ducks, with the result that most counties in Britain have now hosted at least one. In flight or when flapping, the wing-bar is white, but becomes greyer and more diffuse across the outer primaries. The most eye-catching feature of any flying Aythya is the broad white wing-bar. Female Aythya hybrid (Welney, Norfolk, 2 January 2008). This flying Lesser Scaup shows the a developing large white facial patch typical of this species, but the key feature in flight is the wing-bar – white across the secondaries with a sharp, abrupt transition to grey across the primaries, unlike the more gradual transition in the wing-bars of the other two species (Kris Webb). Factors affecting nest success in the mallard and tufted duck. A beautiful female Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula swimming in a river with her cute baby. Females and first-winters, however, are essentially brown. The scientific name is derived from Ancient Greek aithuia an unidentified seabird mentioned by authors including Hesychius and Aristotle, and Latin, fuligo "soot" and gula "throat". There is a large and distinctly defined (though variable) white patch around the bill base, which usually meets over the culmen, and a pale area on the ear coverts (on females in late winter), while the dark at the bill tip is restricted to the nail or the area immediately adjacent. On such birds, look for their small size and neat, compact proportions, a steep forehead, rather flattish crown and a vestigial nape tuft. This is by far the commonest Aythya and therefore the most familiar. Long clouded by confusion with hybrids, the first was identified as recently as 1987, in Staffordshire, but since this breaking of the credibility barrier, Lesser Scaup has been shown to be a vagrant in small numbers every year, with more than 150 records. On females and first-winters look out for their small size and compact proportions – even more than Tufted Duck – but with a strongly sloping forehead and peaked rear crown, although beware the similar effect which can be created by a Tufted Duck's tuft. However, if anything is not quite right (maybe the dark on the nail is a bit too extensive, for example, or the degree of mantle vermiculation is not quite strong enough) then a hybrid is the most likely option. Birds this close with this classic set of features should present no identification problems at all (Steve Young / www.birdsonfilm.com). Drake Greater Scaup (Seaforth, Lancashire, 23 March 2006). The bird also looks large bodied and round headed, also typical of Greater Scaup (Steve Young / www.birdsonfilm.com). Male tufted ducks are glossy black allover except for contrasting, sharply-edged white flanks and white abdomen, and the back can appear more gray than black in bright light. The ducklings fledge about 45 days after hatching. Have you seen something interesting?