White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Melanitta ("black duck") deglandi (for ornithologist Côme-Damien Degland)

Adult female White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi) at Anchorage, Alaska - August 2024

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 950-2100g  /  Length: 48-60cm  /  Wingspan: 80cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern 

A close relative of the Velvet Scoter and until fairly recently was considered the same species. White Winged Scoters are found along most of the sub-Arctic coasts of the US and Canada in Winter while breeding on inland lakes in the boreal forests of Western Canada.  White-winged Scoters are capable of diving up to 20m down in search of prey.

Related Species:
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Melanitta
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES - Winters off many coasts, breeds in Southern Alaska
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: One female seen in  Anchorage, Alaska 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata)

OTHER NAMES: Skunk-headed Coot

Latin Etymology: Melanitta ("black duck") perspicillata ("conspicuous")

Adult male Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) at San Francisco, California - September 2022

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 950-1700g  /  Length: 44-48cm  /  Wingspan: 77cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A large sea-duck species found breeding around the coasts of Canada and Alaska, they breed on freshwater lakes.  This bird was a vagrant that had turned up along the dam end of Rutland Water where it was associated with a group of mostly male tufted ducks.  This bird is apparently a first winter bird, though as with the most duck species the adult male is a far more dramatic bird with a bizarre oversized beak coloured white, yellow red, pink with a huge black blotch.

Related Species: 
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Melanitta
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A rare vagrant.

 - A single vagrant bird seen at Rutland Water (December 2016) 

UNITED STATES 
Breeds in Alaska, Winters around almost the entire continental US Coastline
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at San Francisco and Berkeley

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-Canto .

Black Scoter (Melanitta americana)

OTHER NAMES: American Scoter

Latin Etymology: Melanitta ("black duck") americana ("American")

Thee adult male Black Scoter (Melanitta americana) at Shiranuka Harbour, Hokkaido, Japan - December 2014

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 980-1100g  /  Length: 49cm  /  Wingspan: 71cm
ABSENT FROM UK / IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

The Black Scoter was until recently considered as part of the Common Scoter, but has subsequently been split off into a full species.  The Black and Common are apparently differentiated primarily by their distinct vocalisations.  I first got brief views of this species from the train between Kushiro and Akkeshi but was unable to photograph it due to the movement of the train, but later found a small flock at the mouth of Shiranuka harbour.

Related Species:
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Melanitta
Subspecies: None - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

JAPAN - Japanese - クロガモ /  Kuro-gamo ("Black Wildduck")

Locally common Winter migrant in harbours on Hokkaido

 - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP: One seen on the sea at Akkeshi, a small flock in the harbour at Shiranuka

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Velvet Scoter (Melanitta fusca)

OTHER NAMES: Velvet Duck

Latin Etymology: Melanitta ("black duck") fusca ("dusky/black/brown")

Two female Velvet Scoter (subspecies M. f. fusca) at Swithland Reservoir, Leicestershire - December 2012

Featured Subspecies: Melanitta fusca fusca
Weight: 1.1-2.1kg  /  Length: 51-58cm  /  Wingspan: 86-99cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Vulnerable

The Rarest of the UK's Seaducks, and for me at least, the most difficult of the British ducks to see in general (although the Ruddy Duck with its ongoing cull may take that role soon).  Velvet Scoters are large dark ducks which are often seen mingled with the (more numerous but still comparatively rare) Common Scoter.  They can be differentiated by the white patches on their wings in flight, or smaller ones on the faces of both genders and towards the back end of males.  They do occasionally turn up inland (such as these ones) but, are mostly found at sea on the East coast North of the Wash during Winter.  They are considered internationally endangered although their population here is only listed as Amber List.  A handsome bird, be sure to look for some good photos of them as these don't do them justice.

Related Species:
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Melanitta
Subspecies: M. f. fusca, M. f. deglandi, M. f. stejnegeri

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Rare and local Wintering species (2500 birds)

 - Vagrant birds seen at Swithland Reservoir (2 adults in December 2012) .

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Melanitta ("black duck") nigra ("black")

Adult female Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra) at Southwark Park, London - March 2016

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 960-1300g  /  Length: 44-54cm  /  Wingspan: 70-84cm

UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Despite the name, common scoters aren't very common and are red list according to the RSPB. They are a rare breeder with only 50 pairs apparently breeding in the UK, although 100000 can winter here. They are a sea duck and as such the best place to see them is naturally the coast, although I was lucky enough to see them coming up the Thames. During my first encounter with this species they remained distant and constantly in motion making photographing them very difficult, however, it was possible to view the Southwark Park individual at very close range and it remained unconcerned with human presence.

Related Species:
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Melanitta
Subspecies: none - monotypic

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Very rare resident breeder (52 pairs), locan but numerous Wintering species (100,000 birds)

 - A flock seen along the Thames from Rainham Marshes in 2010, a single female in Southwark Park in 2016

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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