New Zealand Scaup
A species of Diving ducks Scientific name : Aythya novaeseelandiae Genus : Diving ducks
New Zealand Scaup, A species of Diving ducks
Botanical name: Aythya novaeseelandiae
Genus: Diving ducks
Content
Description People often ask General Info
Photo By silversea_starsong , used under CC-BY-NC-4.0 /Cropped and compressed from original
Description
Overall dark brown/black colors. The male has a striking yellow eye and a dark colored (greenish) head. The female is similar to the male, but without the yellow eye and has a white face patch during breeding season. A white wing bar can be seen in both sexes when in flight.
Size
46 cm
Colors
Brown
Black
Green
Feeding Habits
New Zealand Scaup forages by diving, often reaching depths of three meters, for up to 30 seconds. Diet includes aquatic plants, small fish, snails, mussels, insects, and opportunistically from disturbances by other species like coots.
Habitat
New Zealand Scaup typically inhabits fairly deep and large freshwater environments, such as deep lakes, ponds, and occasionally shallow coastal lagoons. These birds are found from low-altitude regions up to approximately 1000 meters in highland areas, which include diverse water bodies like volcanic and glacial lakes, peat lakes, and man-made reservoirs. Although less common, new Zealand Scaup can also be observed in dam areas, and there are historical records of them along rivers.
Dite type
Aquatic invertebrate eater
People often ask
General Info
Distribution Area
It is found throughout both the North and South Islands of New Zealand in deep freshwater lakes and ponds. Unlike other members of this genus, the scaup is not migratory, although it does move to open water from high country lakes if they become frozen in winter.
Species Status
Not globally threatened.
Photo By silversea_starsong , used under CC-BY-NC-4.0 /Cropped and compressed from original
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Waterfowl Family
Geese Genus
Diving ducks Species
New Zealand Scaup