Lesser Scaup
Aythya affinis

f7.1 @ 1/2500s, ISO:2000, Nikon D3S w 500mm and 1.7X teleconverter


"Lesser Scaup," Wikipedia, thee free encyclopedia. The lesser scaup is a small North American diving duck that migrates south as far as Central America in winter. It is colloquially known as the little bluebill or broadbill because of its distinctive blue bill. The adult males (drakes) in alternate plumage have a black, iridescent head and a small tuft at the hindcrown, a black breast, a whitish-grey back and wings with darker vermiculations and black outer and greyish-brown inner primary remiges. The underparts are white with some olive vermiculations on the flanks, and the rectrices and tail coverts are black. Adult females (hens) have a white band at the base of the bill, often a lighter ear region, and are otherwise dark brown all over, shading to white on the mid-belly.
Falmouth Harbor, Falmouth, Massachusetts
 
01/23/2019