scaup

(skôp)

n. pl. scaup or scaups

1. Either of two diving ducks (Aythya marila or A. affinis) of the Northern Hemisphere, the male of which has gray, black, and white plumage. Also called bluebill.

2. A small diving duck (Aythya novaeseelandiae) of New Zealand, having dark plumage.

[Short for scaup-duck, perhaps from Scots scalp, scaup, bed of mussels (from its feeding on shellfish).]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

scaup

(skɔːp) or

scaup duck

(Animals) either of two diving ducks, Aythya marila (greater scaup) or A. affinis (lesser scaup), of Europe and America, having a black-and-white plumage in the male. Also called (US): bluebill or broadbill

[C16: Scot variant of scalp]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

scaup

(skɔp)

n.

any of several diving ducks of the genus Aythya, esp. A. marila, of the Northern Hemisphere, having a bluish gray bill.

[1665–75; by ellipsis from scaup duck]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun

scaup - diving ducks of North America having a bluish-grey bill

bluebill, scaup duck, broadbill

duck - small wild or domesticated web-footed broad-billed swimming bird usually having a depressed body and short legs

Aythya, genus Aythya - canvasback; redhead; pochard; etc.

Aythya marila, greater scaup - large scaup of North America having a greenish iridescence on the head of the male

Aythya affinis, lake duck, lesser scaup, lesser scaup duck - common scaup of North America; males have purplish heads

References in periodicals archive ?

Supported by a PS354,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant, the aim of the five-year project is to establish native upland woodland on 94 hectares of open moorland along two kilometres of the Scaup Burn, a tributary of the White Kielder waterway which runs into Kielder reservoir.

Volunteers pine for the return of traditional trees

Supported by a [pounds sterling]354,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant, the aim of the five-year project is to establish native upland woodland on 94 hectares of open moorland along two kilometres of the Scaup Burn, a tributary of theWhite Kielder waterwaywhich runs into Kielder reservoir.

Volunteers returning native trees to Northumberland - by the thousand; Kielderhead Wildwood project aiming to plant more than 50,000 trees to turn moorland into would have looked like thousands of years ago

A Great Northern Diver and Scaup are with a huge flock of Common Scoters off Llanfairfechan, while a Great White Egret was a rare find at Cors Geirch, near Nefyn.

BIRD NOTES With Julian Hughes

In winter, Youngs Island is an important resting stop for migrating waterfowl, particularly several species of special interest, including American black duck, lesser and greater scaup, mallard, canvasback, Canada goose, long-tailed duck, bufflehead, common goldeneye, American wigeon, and red-breasted merganser.

YOUNGS ISLAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA: A manmade island featuring shoreline and migratory birds, and hunting & fishing

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QUIZ

We were hoping to add canvasbacks or scaup to the list but only a single hen bluebill gave us a shot, which we capitalized on, a long poke at the edge of our guns' capabilities.

The Diver DISEASE: San Francisco Bay is the back drop for your next addiction, and these tactics work on any coastal locale

The other species that was studied was lesser scaup (Aythya affinis), known to form seasonal pair bonds and with relatively smaller penises.

Duck Penis Growth Affected By Social Environment

Where it enters the lake, a gunner can lean against the bleached skeletons of dead trees to ambush goldeneyes, redheads, canvasbacks, buffleheads and scaup. Mallards and pintails make occasional appearances, as do Canada geese.

Lady's choice: the three R's of retriever appeal

Waterfowl entries may depict the black brant, common merganser, greater scaup or dusky Canada goose, also shown in their customary surroundings.

State wildlife agency running contest to select art for stamps

Lesser and greater scaup combined for 4.6 million birds, similar to last year but 8 percent below their long term average.

Duck population on rise

Keen bird watchers who know a tufted duck from a scaup also have the chance to help with regular bird surveys.

Nature events at city park

CITE

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