Gould related how the 'Scaups...begin to arrive from the north in autumn, and immediately spread themselves over the maritime portions of Britain, where they enter bays, estuaries, and mouths of great rivers...'

In the wild 'the Scaup is a fine, showy species, the males with their large dark-green heads and hoary-grey backs presenting a strong contrast to the brown bodies and white faces of the other sex.'

DISTRIBUTION: Breeds northern Eurasia from Iceland, east across Arctic Russia and Siberia to Kamchatka, also in north North America from Alaska east through to north Ontario and around Hudson and James Bay. Winters south to Mediterranean, Iranian Gulf, east China, Philippines, Hawaiian Islands, Baja California and southern United States