Re: [SBB] Lesser vs Greater Scaup

["Alvaro Jaramillo" <[[email protected]]>]

Barry

  That is a nice Lesser Scaup, the peak is the tuft at the "back corner" of
the head. Greater Scaups have more nicely rounded heads, without a little
tuft. As well, your photo shows fine vermiculations in the white flanks,
this is typical of Lesser Scaup, Greaters tend to show whiter flanks often
lacking vermiculations. Finally, apart from the bill shape, the black tip of
Greater spills out from the black "nail" at the tip of the bill, but it is
restricted roughly to the nail on the Lesser, a photo like this of a Greater
would show much more black at the bill tip. This feature is much easier to
see front on though, exactly when the head shape features do not help. 

Regards

Al

Alvaro Jaramillo
[[email protected]]
Half Moon Bay, CA

Field Guides - Birding Tours Worldwide
http://www.fieldguides.com/home.htm


> -----Original Message-----
> From: [[email protected]] [mailto:South-Bay-Birds-
> [[email protected]]] On Behalf Of Barry Langdon-Lassagne
> Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2006 9:33 AM
> To: SBB
> Subject: [SBB] Lesser vs Greater Scaup
> 
> I know I should have this figured out by now, but I still have a lot
> of trouble with Lesser vs. Greater Scaup. For instance, I took this
> picture at the Sunnyvale Water Treatment Plant Sunday:
> 
> 	http://www.pbase.com/wilmot/image/56292582
> 
> I want to call it a Lesser Scaup, but the text and paintings in
> Sibley leave me confused. Which part of the head is the "peak" and
> can you tell how far forward it is in this picture (I always thought
> the peak was that tufty thing above and behind the eye, but Sibley
> says that the peak is farther forward on a Greater, so that makes no
> sense)? Is this bill longer and broader (Greater) or smaller and
> straighter (Lesser...it looks straighter to me)? Is the barring on
> the back heavier and coarser, or not? The tip of the bill doesn't
> have much black, but Sibley says there's a lot of overlap there. I
> know Lesser Scaup are more common here, and some of the other Scaup I
> saw (flying, for instance) were almost certainly Lesser, but just
> from this image I cannot tell which Scaup I have photographed.
> 
> If there's anything obvious I should be checking for, I'd appreciate
> the pointers. If it's all subtleties, any tips on additional things
> to look for would also be appreciated.
> 
> - Barry -
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored.
> South-Bay-Birds mailing list      ([[email protected]])
> Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription:
> http://plaidworks.org/mailman/listinfo/south-bay-birds_plaidworks.org
> 
> --
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 267.15.12/265 - Release Date: 2/20/2006
> 

-- 
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 267.15.12/265 - Release Date: 2/20/2006
 


_______________________________________________
Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored.
South-Bay-Birds mailing list      ([[email protected]])
Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription:
http://plaidworks.org/mailman/listinfo/south-bay-birds_plaidworks.org