The Lesser Scaup is a common winter diving duck in the San Diego area.  Like all diving ducks, they find much of their food by diving and swimming underwater.  Unlike the dabbling ducks, they are awkward on land, and usually need to have a running start to take flight from the water.  Plant foods like pondweeds, widgeon grass, and the seeds of grasses and sedges and animal food in the form of snails of many types, aquatic insects, and shrimplike organisms, are about equally important in their diet.

Photo and text by Dr. Gary Grantham