Greater Scaup

Greater Scaup

Aythya marila

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
<5% · Rare
overall probability at Elk Island National Park
17 Verified records at Elk Island National Park
May Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The greater scaup (Aythya marila), just scaup in Europe or, colloquially, "bluebill" in North America, is a mid-sized diving duck, larger than the closely related lesser scaup and tufted duck. It spends the summer months breeding in Iceland, east across Scandinavia, northern Russia and Siberia, Alaska, and northern Canada. During the winter, it migrates south to the coasts of Europe, eastern Asia, and North America. Male greater scaup average slightly larger than the females but with much overlap; they have a light blue-grey bill and yellow eyes. Their heads are dark, with a green to purple (depending on light angle) gloss; the breast is black, the belly white, the upperparts pale grey, and the wing shows a strong white stripe. The females are mostly brown, again with white on the wing. Wikipedia →

<5% of wildlife watchers report a Greater Scaup sighting in Elk Island National Park, based on 17 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Elk Island National Park

Lesser Scaup
LC

Lesser Scaup

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aythya affinis

50–60% · Likely
Ring-necked Duck
LC

Ring-necked Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aythya collaris

30–40% · Possible
Redhead
LC

Redhead

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aythya americana

20–30% · Possible
Canvasback
LC

Canvasback

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aythya valisineria

10–20% · With luck
Mallard
LC

Mallard

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas platyrhynchos

80–90% · Very likely
Canada Goose
LC

Canada Goose

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Branta canadensis

60–70% · Likely
Blue-winged Teal
LC

Blue-winged Teal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spatula discors

60–70% · Likely
Bufflehead
LC

Bufflehead

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bucephala albeola

50–60% · Likely
Gadwall
LC

Gadwall

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mareca strepera

50–60% · Likely
Common Goldeneye
LC

Common Goldeneye

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bucephala clangula

50–60% · Likely
American Wigeon

American Wigeon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mareca americana

30–40% · Possible
Common Teal
LC

Common Teal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas crecca

30–40% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
10–20
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
20–30%
2 Gates of the Arctic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
3 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
4 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
5 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
6 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
7 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
8 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
9 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
10 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
11 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
12 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
13 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
14 Thingvellir National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
<5%
15 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
16 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
17 Nikko National Park 🇯🇵 Japan
<5%
18 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%
19 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
20 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
21 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
22 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
23 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
24 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
25 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
<5%
26 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
27 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
28 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
29 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
30 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
<5%
31 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%
32 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
33 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
34 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
35 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
36 Nahanni National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
37 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
Insufficient data
38 Voyageurs National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
39 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
40 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
Insufficient data
41 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
Insufficient data
42 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
43 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
44 Kaziranga National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
45 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Greater Scaup in Elk Island National Park?

About 3% of wildlife watchers report a Greater Scaup sighting in Elk Island National Park, based on 17 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Greater Scaup in Elk Island National Park?

May has the highest sighting rate for Greater Scaup in Elk Island National Park in our monthly data.

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