Black Scoter
Melanitta americana
Summary 6
The Black or American Scoter (Melanitta americana) is a large sea duck, 43 to 49 centimeters in length. Together with the Common Scoter M. nigra, it forms the subgenus Oidemia; the two are sometimes considered conspecific, the Black Scoter then being referred to as M. nigra americana. Its French name, used in parts of its Canadian range, is macreuse noire (also meaning "black scoter").
"cool facts" 7
A coastal duck that breeds in the subarctic, the Black Scoter is not well studied in North America. Only a few nests have ever been found.
The Black Scoter is divided into two subspecies. In the form found in Europe, the "Common Scoter," the male has a larger swollen knob at the base of the upper bill that is black on the sides with a yellow stripe on top, not entirely yellow.
The Black Scoter occasionally does a "Wing-flap" display while swimming, flapping its wings with its body held up out of the water. Unlike other scoters, it almost always punctuates a Wing-flap with a characteristic downward thrust of head, as if its neck were momentarily broken. Surf and White-winged scoters keep their heads and bills pointing more or less above the horizontal throughout a Wing-flap.
The Black Scoter is among the most vocal of waterfowl. Groups of Black Scoters often can be located by the constant mellow, plaintive whistling sound of the males.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Len Blumin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/9062441@N02/6790528345
- creator:John James Audubon, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Melanitta_americana_%28Audubon%29.jpg
- (c) mfeng, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
- (c) Donna Pomeroy, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Donna Pomeroy
- (c) Lewnanny Richardson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Lewnanny Richardson
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanitta_americana
- Public Domain, http://eol.org/data_objects/27673905
