UK Wildlife

Scaup Scarce Winter Visitor Conservation

The greater scaup is a scarce winter visitor to UK coasts and estuaries from Icelandic and Scandinavian breeding grounds, with declining numbers giving concern.

Key Facts

UK scaup winter population declined from thousands to fewer than 5,000 in recent decades
Distinguished from tufted duck by green-glossed head and lack of crest
Dives for molluscs and marine invertebrates in sheltered coastal bays
Small breeding population of fewer than 10 pairs occurs occasionally in Scotland
Sensitive to disturbance and habitat change in both breeding and wintering grounds

Welfare Considerations

Scaup decline reflects changes in both Arctic-subarctic breeding habitat and winter feeding sites. Maintaining undisturbed coastal bays with productive shellfish beds is essential. Oil spills are a catastrophic threat to wintering diving ducks.

What You Can Do

Support marine protected areas that safeguard coastal habitats for wintering diving ducks
Advocate for stronger oil spill prevention measures on shipping routes
Record scaup through WeBS coastal counts to track population trends