:

Perhaps you can help me. I just returned from a five day birding trip with the Brooks Bird Club of W.Va. We birded DelMarVa. Last evening we were getting a final tally of birds when the leader came to Greater/Lesser Scaup. I mentioned Lesser Scaup and a man with a loud, authoritarian voice said in a rather belligerent manner that there were no more Lesser Scaup but they were now known only as Greater Scaup. What ever characteristic one used in the past as an identifying factor (head shape, wing discoloration, side color, it mattered not) none of these were definitive and thus it was decided that there would be only Greater Scaup. He said, "They are doing this in Britain." I had never heard of this nor had anyone at my table. Can you shed any light on this for me please?

Thank you,



Ben Poscover

Towson MD