need hep with ID

[sakoshooter]

Drake Shoveler

[Crispy]

For those of you that are interested, I found this to be really helpful on the greater vs lesser scaup ID 

http://www.utahbirds.org/featarts/Scaup.htm

[Special T]

Crispy, nice side by side. With that said i would say greater... anyone with me?

[Crispy]

Crispy, nice side by side. With that said i would say greater... anyone with me?

Pics weren't taken by me, I just stumbled across them when I was googling so I can't take credit for the shots (agreed, they are nice).

I was actually thinking lessers just based on the dark heads and the more pronounced mottled black/white on the back. I don't know enough about their relative size to speak to that, though. I've only bagged three ever.

[TheSkyBuster]

I've been trying to save a picture of each species, Here is a Greater I shot this Year,  for reference I'm 5'10" 205 dog was about 90lbs in this picture, I only knew it was a greater because I shot a couple lessers the same day and he was bigger.

[jordano]

Yep! Northern Shoveler aka Spoony! and the flying ones are Lesser Scaup aka Bluebills. Lesser Scaup have a purple tint to their head feathers while Greater Scaup have a green tint to their head feathers

[teal101]

Those are lesser scaup.  The way to tell the apart is in their wings.  The deep white speculum will extend further out towards the wing tip in a greater than in a lesser.  While both have white on most of the wing, the greaters is deeper.

[Special T]

Very cool.. I change my answer!  I like the wing compariso photo thanks

[teal101]

Telling them apart by head color is quite difficult.  Both lessers and greaters have a green or purple tint to their head, just depends on the angle of the light.  Same thing with a mallard, held in certain light it turns purple.  The lessers generally appear darker over much of the light spectrum than a greater does, in my personal experience.

Bill size is another give away.  Greaters have a much broader bill than the the lessers.

Body size is an OK estimator.  A young greater will be the same size as a lesser, and I've shot some hog lessers that could easily be mistaken for a greater.  Generally greaters are larger, who woulda thunk it

One of my favorite birds to pursue

[Coho]

 

[jordano]

well said Teal101! long time no talk!

nice pic there Coho! 

[Special T]

very cool pic coho.. I've been on a falconry hunt and they are sweet! we only hunted rabbits tho...

[teal101]

well said Teal101! long time no talk!

nice pic there Coho! 

Yeah it has.  My season was all of two hunts, was just too busy with other things and barely made it out   Gearing up for fishing though!

[jordano]

well said Teal101! long time no talk!

nice pic there Coho! 

Yeah it has.  My season was all of two hunts, was just too busy with other things and barely made it out   Gearing up for fishing though!

we'll have to change that next year and meet up for some hunts! you bet! I have done a pretty good amount of trout fishing already but really looking forward to school getting out!