scaup

/skawp/, n.

any of several diving ducks of the genus Aythya, esp. A. marila (greater scaup), of the Northern Hemisphere, having a bluish-gray bill. Also called scaup duck.

[1665-75; by ellipsis from scaup duck, prob. with Scots, N dial. scaup, scalp mussel bed (of uncert. orig.)]

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Any of three species (genus Aythya, family Anatidae) of diving ducks.

The greater scaup, or big bluebill (A. marila), breeds across Eurasia and most of the Nearctic region. The lesser scaup, or little bluebill (A. affinis), breeds in northwestern North America. Both are popular game birds, 15–20 in. (38–51 cm) long, that winter along the U.S. coasts. Males have a dark breast and grayish back but differ in head colour and wing markings; females are brown with white patches around the blue bill. Scaups eat mainly clams. The third species is the New Zealand scaup (A. novaeseelandiae).

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▪ bird

also called  Bluebill 

      (genus Aythya), any of three species of diving ducks (diving duck) (family Anatidae). The greater scaup (A. marila), also called the big bluebill, breeds across Eurasia and most of the Nearctic region. The lesser scaup (A. affinis), a New World species also known as the little bluebill, breeds across the northwest quadrant of North America. In the New World both species winter along the coasts of the United States; the lesser scaup reaches central Mexico. Both popular game birds, these two species are very hard to differentiate in the field. Both are about 38–51 cm (15–20 inches) long. Males have dark breasts and grayish backs; the head of the greater scaup is dark green, that of the lesser scaup is glossed with purple but may have tinges of green. Females are brown with white patches around their blue bills. The diet is composed mainly of clams. The third species is the New Zealand scaup (A. novaeseelandiae). In flight, the white stripe on the rear of the wing extends almost to the wingtip in the greater scaup and only halfway in the lesser scaup.

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