marshes
and wooded ponds. In flight, the dark wings are different from the
white-edged wings of scaup.

Faint brown ring on drake's neck never shows in the field; light bands
at tip and base of bill are conspicuous.

Fly as small flocks in open formation; often land without circling.
Drakes _purr_; hens are usually silent.

Scaup

Greater--Length--18-1/2 in.
Weight--2 lbs.

Lesser--Length--17 in.
Weight--1-7/8 lbs.

Except for the wing marks, greater and lesser scaup appear nearly
identical in the field.

The light band near the trailing edges of the wings runs almost to the
tip in the greater scaup, but only about half way in the lesser.

Greater scaup prefer large open water areas; lesser scaup often use
marshes and ponds.

Both species migrate late, sometimes just before freezeup.

Flock movements are rapid, often erratic, usually in compact groups.

Hens are silent; drake lesser scaup _purr_; drake greater scaup have a
discordant _scaup, scaup_.

Goldeneye

Common--Length--19 in.
Weight--2-1/4 lbs.

Barrow's--Length--19 in.
Weight--2-3/4 lbs.

These are active, strong-winged fliers moving singly or in small flocks,
often high in the air. Distinctive wing-whistling sound in flight has
earned the name of whistlers.

Goldeneyes generally move south late in the season; most of them winter
on coastal waters and the Great Lakes. Inland, they like rapids and fast
water.

Barrow's goldeneye, predominantly a Westerner, is less wary than the
common goldeneye.

Hens of both species are look-alikes.

Drakes have a piercing _speer-speer_--hens a low _quack_. Both are
usually quiet.

Bufflehead

Length--14-1/2 in.
Weight--1 lb.

Stragglers migrate south in mid-fall, but the largest numbers move just
ahead of freezeup. Most flocks in feeding areas are small--5 or 6 birds,
with more hens and immatures than adult drakes.

Very small size, bold black and white color pattern, and low, swift
flight are field marks. Unlike most divers, they can fly straight up
from a watery takeoff.

Largest concentrations are on both seacoasts and along the Gulf of
Mexico. Inland, they will remain as far north as open water permits.

Usually silent. Drakes _squeak_ and have a guttural note; hens _quack_
weakly.

Ruddy

Length--15-1/2 in.
Weight--1-1/3 lbs.

The ruddy duck often dives or swims away from danger rather than flying.
When flying