Lesser Scaup
Lesser ScaupLesser ScaupLesser ScaupLesser Scaup

Lesser Scaup

Aythya affinis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
5–10% · With luck
overall probability at Ciénaga de Zapata
115 Verified records at Ciénaga de Zapata
February Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) 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 origin of the name scaup may stem from the bird's preference for feeding on scalp—the Scottish word for clams, oysters, and mussels; however, some credit it to the female's discordant scaup call as the name's source. It is apparently a very close relative of the Holarctic greater scaup or "bluebill" (A. marila), with which it forms a superspecies. The scientific name is derived from Ancient Greek and Latin, with aithuia being an Ancient Greek term for an unidentified seabird, used by Hesychius and Aristotle, among other authors, and affinis, Latin for "related to", from the lesser scaup's resemblance to the greater scaup. Wikipedia →

5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Scaup sighting in Ciénaga de Zapata, based on 115 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Ciénaga de Zapata

Ring-necked Duck
LC

Ring-necked Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aythya collaris

Insufficient data
Blue-winged Teal
LC

Blue-winged Teal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spatula discors

10–20% · With luck
American Wigeon

American Wigeon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mareca americana

<5% · Rare
West Indian Whistling-Duck
NT

West Indian Whistling-Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dendrocygna arborea

<5% · Rare
Northern Shoveler
LC

Northern Shoveler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spatula clypeata

<5% · Rare
Red-breasted Merganser
LC

Red-breasted Merganser

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mergus serrator

<5% · Rare
Northern Pintail
LC

Northern Pintail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas acuta

<5% · Rare
White-cheeked Pintail
LC Endemic

White-cheeked Pintail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas bahamensis

<5% · Rare
Wood Duck
LC

Wood Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aix sponsa

<5% · Rare
Common Teal
LC

Common Teal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas crecca

Insufficient data
Fulvous Whistling-Duck
LC

Fulvous Whistling-Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dendrocygna bicolor

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
10–20
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
5–10
Nov
10–20
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 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
50–60%
2 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
40–50%
3 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
4 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
10–20%
5 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
6 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
7 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
8 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
9 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
10 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
10–20%
11 Nahanni National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
12 Ciénaga de Zapata 🇨🇺 Cuba
5–10%
13 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
14 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
15 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
16 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
17 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
18 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
19 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
20 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
21 Jaragua National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
<5%
22 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
23 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
24 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
25 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
26 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
27 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
28 Caroni Swamp 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
<5%
29 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
30 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
31 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
32 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
33 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
34 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
35 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
36 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
37 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
38 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
39 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
40 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
41 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
42 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
43 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
44 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
45 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
46 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
<5%
47 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
48 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
49 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
50 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
51 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
52 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
53 Galápagos Islands 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
54 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
55 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
56 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
57 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
58 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
59 Voyageurs National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
60 Biotopo Cerro Cahuí 🇬🇹 Guatemala
Insufficient data
61 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
62 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
63 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
64 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
65 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
66 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
67 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
68 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
69 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
70 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Lesser Scaup in Ciénaga de Zapata?

About 7% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Scaup sighting in Ciénaga de Zapata, based on 115 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Lesser Scaup in Ciénaga de Zapata?

February has the highest sighting rate for Lesser Scaup in Ciénaga de Zapata in our monthly data.

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