Greater scaup faces numerous threats, the most significant challenge to their survival is habitat degradation caused by a mix of human development and runoff. Greater scaup, when moulting and during the winter, are threatened by escalated levels of organochloride contaminants. Oil and sewage pollution also threaten this duck. Since 80% of the greater scaup population winters in the urbanized part of the Atlantic Flyway, these ducks are subject to high levels of organic contaminates, along with increased levels of heavy metals in foods and habitat. A joint group of American and Canadian scientists researching scaup migration across the Great Lakes found that
Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory include fringed gentian, viper's bugloss, butterfly weed, jewelweed, black-eyed susan and small yellow lady's slipper. Rare vascular plants found on Prince Edward Point include Ontario aster, downy wood mint and clammyweed. Prince Edward Point is a concentration point of bird migrations over the Great Lakes. Over 300 species of birds have been recorded at Prince Edward Point. Most of these birds are recorded in migration, however 74 species of bird have been recorded nesting on the point. The site experiences large quantity bird migration. Single-day totals of greater scaup, oldsquaw, and white-winged scoters have exceeded 1% of their total North