Black Scoter

Melanitta nigra

Also known as:American Scoter, Common Scoter

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Identification

Field notes

46 cm (18") Fairly common. Nests on tundra lakes, rivers, ponds; winters along coasts; casual inland migrant. Also known as American or Common Scoter.

Male: all black diving duck with a bright yellow-orange knob at the base of its black bill; strongly rounded forehead; black feet and legs. In flight, all black with silver wing linings, yellow-orange knob on bill.

Female: dark, grayish-brown diving duck with light face and throat that contrasts with a dark cap and nape; all dark bill with no feathers extending onto it; strongly rounded forehead; black feet and legs. In flight, all dark with silver wing linings.

Song: musical cooing, grating croaks.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

3 photos

Credit: Isidro Vila Verde

Credit: Rick Leche

Credit: Andrew Reding

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Black Scoters Courting

Credit: alwcomm

female black scoter-Lake Overholser-OKC-12-19-09.wmv

Credit: okiebirdnerd

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Black Scoter (Female)

1 rule

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 4

What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Blue · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Flattened · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: Red, orange or rusty · Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Pigeon-sized · Crow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Duck or Goose-like

result:778-black-scoter-female:1:1 Source: 778 Black Scoter (Female), row 1

Black Scoter (Male)

1 rule

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 4

What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Flattened · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: Red, orange or rusty · Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Pigeon-sized · Crow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Duck or Goose-like

result:777-black-scoter-male:1:1 Source: 777 Black Scoter (Male), row 1