Melanitta perspicillata
When spring storms turn mountain lakes into white squalls, migrating Surf Scoters rest comfortably among the crashing waves. Scoters spend their winters just beyond the breaking surf on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and they are well adapted to life on rough water. Scoters use their strong, sturdy bills to wrench shellfish from their winter ocean homes. Their gizzards are exceptionally muscular to help them break the shells. Surf Scoters are often seen in the company of look-alike White-winged Scoters. The Surf Scoter is the most abundant scoter in North America. The genus name Melanitta means 'black duck'; perspicillata is Latin for 'spectacular,' referring to this bird's colorful bill. |
I.D.: General: large, stocky, dark duck; large bill; sloping forehead; all-black wings. Male: black overall; white on the forehead and the back of the neck; orange bill and legs; black spot, outlined in white, at the base of the bill. Female: brown overall; dark gray bill; light patches on the cheek and ear. Size: L 17-21 in. (43-53 cm). Range: common spring and uncommon fall migrant in the northern Rockies; rare migrant in the southern Rockies; non-breeding birds occasionally summer in the Canadian Rockies. Habitat: large, deep-water lakes in the montane and the subalpine. Nesting: typically in northern Canada and Alaska; in a shallow scrape under bushes or branches, usually very near water; female incubates 5-8 buff-colored eggs. Feeding: dives underwater to depths of 30 ft. (9.1 m); eats the larvae of damselflies, dragonflies, mayflies and caddisflies; occasionally eats aquatic vegetation; primarily eats shellfish when wintering on the coast. Voice: generally quiet; infrequently utters low, harsh croaks. Male: occasionally gives a low, clear whistle. Female: guttural krraak krraak. Similar Species: White-winged Scoter: white wing patches; male lacks the white on the forehead and nape. |
