Wednesday, January 24, 2007 - THE LESSER SCAUP AT JANUBIO. FIRST FOR LANZAROTE

by Francisco Javier García Vargas, Antonio Unquiles Cobos and Juan Sagardía Pradera.

On 12/XI/2006, we detected one bird that at the first time was identified as a female Greater Scaup Aythya marila at the tidal lagoon of Janubio salt pans. The bird was relocated on 19/XI and 03/XII/2006 and the jizz of it, made us start thinking the bird had been wrongly identified and we started to consider the possibility of Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis. It was finally identified on 20/I/2007 as Lesser Scaup, based on a detailed observation and  the photographs taken at the bird in flight. With two males at Rosa de Catalina García (Fuerteventura) (photos can be seen here and here), this is the third Lesser Scaup seen at Canary Islands this year and if accepted by the Spanish Rarities Committee, the first for Lanzarote island.

LESSER SCAUP. Janubio salt pans. The bird as on 03/XII/2006.  Photo: J. Sagardía

LESSER SCAUP and GREATER SCAUP (seen on Janubio last winter), for comparison.

The differences in head shape can be seen. Greater Scaup has a more rounded nape contour and the peak of the head farther forward. Bill shape is different too and Lesser has narrower and more straight-sided bill. Photos: J. Sagardía.

LESSER SCAUP at flight. Photo: F. J. García Vargas.

LESSER SCAUP at flight as on 20/I/2007.

The wing pattern can be clearly seen, showing less white than on Greater Scaup.

Photos: F. J. García Vargas.