New Zealand Scaup Family Picture Auckland Zoo NZ
Photo & Vacation Spot

A mother and three chicks make up this New Zealand Scaup family who reside at the Auckland Zoo on the North Island of NZ.

While three chicks nestle and clean themselves on a log alongside their habitat at the Auckland Zoo on the North Island of NZ, the mother watches closely over her family. The female can lay up to 8 eggs at a time, usually around October in a safe nest along the water's edge.

As the female New Zealand Scaup nests, the male does not travel too far away. When a solitaire male is spotted swimming close to the shoreline during breeding season, this is usually a sure sign that a nest is within close proximity.

The mother New Zealand Scaup will escort her family to the water's edge shortly after they hatch where she will give them a lesson on feeding and diving, all the time keeping a close eye on them. The sunlight highlights the dark coloring of the plumage on the mother Scaup, while the chicks still have their soft down, eventually changing as they age to look similar to their mother.

The New Zealand Scaup is also known as a Black Teal or Widgeon and is categorized into a group of diving birds, these ones being endemic to New Zealand. There are approximately 150 species of birds which reside at the Auckland Zoo in NZ with spring time being one of the best times of year to visit as many chicks are born and family bonding takes over in the habitats.

New Zealand Scaup, Aythya novaeseelandiae, with chicks at the Auckland Zoo, Auckland, North Island, New Zealand.