Aythya affinis
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
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.
Adults are 38–48 cm (15–19 in) long, 41.7–43 cm (16.4–16.9 in) on average. The species can weigh 454–1,089 g (1.001–2.401 lb); males weigh 820 g (1.81 lb) on average while females weigh noticeably less, at 730 g (1.61 lb) on average. Wing lengths (not wingspans) are about 7.5–7.9 in (19–20 cm) in males and 7.3–7.8 in (19... Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ciudad Juárez | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 2 | Anchorage | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Calgary | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 4 | Mesa | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Edmonton | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 6 | Austin | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Denver | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Vancouver | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 10 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zoo Pilsen | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 2 | Ecomuseum Zoo | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Columbus Zoo and Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Slimbridge Wetland Centre | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 5 | Hellabrunn Zoo | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 6 | Tierpark Hagenbeck | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 7 | Salisbury Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Florida Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Texas State Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Cologne Zoo Aquarium | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 11 | Tierpark Schlichtweg 15 in München | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 12 | Zoo Schlichtweg 11 in München | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 13 | Zoo Siebenbrunner Straße 6 in München | 🇩🇪 Germany |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Scaup sighting in Ciudad Juárez on a given day, based on 30 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 21st most-seen of the 70 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Scaup in Ciudad Juárez on a given day, against about 20% in April–July, September and November, the lowest months. That is one of Ciudad Juárez's driest months, with about 10 mm of rain against 50 mm in July.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Lesser Scaup sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 40 cities where we can rate Lesser Scaup sightings, Ciudad Juárez has the highest daily chance: about 40%. Next come Anchorage (United States, about 30%) and Calgary (Canada, about 20%).
Same genus: Aythya
The closest relatives of the Lesser Scaup that you can see in Ciudad Juárez (genus Aythya, Scaups, Pochards, and Allies) are Ring-necked Duck (about 60%) and Greater Scaup (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Lesser Scaup is recorded against all the birds logged in Ciudad Juárez (30 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
