Nicolet Bird Sanctuary During the spring migration, there were nearly 500,000 snow goose ("Chen caerulescens"), or nearly all of the population of species "atlantica". It is also an important site for the migration of Canada (Branta canadensis), where more than 100,000 individuals were observed in 1998. There are also a number ("Black duck") ("Anas rubripes") and of black scoter ("Melanitta nigra"). During the autumn, there are a significant number of pintail ("Anas acuta"), small scaup ("Aythya affinis"), Scaup and golden-eye withered ("Bucephala clangula"). Ducks nesting on the site are the Aix sponsa, the nasal duck, Anas clypeata, the gill duck, Anas strepera), 'American
New Zealand scaup for twenty to thirty seconds and go down three metres to look for aquatic plants, small fish, water snails, mussels and insects. It is sometimes seen with the Australian coot ("Fulica atra"); it is thought that the scaup takes advantage of the food stirred up by the coots as they fossick for shrimps. It is found throughout both the North and South Islands of New Zealand in deep freshwater lakes and ponds. Unlike other members of this genus, the scaup is not migratory, although it does move to open water from high country lakes if they become frozen in winter.