Surf Scoter Identification. Overview; ID info; Life History; Maps; Sounds; Identification; Photo Gallery; Similar Species; Surf Scoter Photos and Videos

The surf scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) is a large sea duck native to North America. Adult males are almost entirely black with characteristic white patches on the forehead and the nape and adult females are slightly smaller and browner.

Ocean surf, salt bays, marinas; in summer, fresh Arctic lakes, tundra. Breeding habitat is near lakes and slow-moving rivers in far north, in sparsely forested or semi-open terrain, sometimes out on open tundra.

Look for this widespread and numerous sea duck in winter along both Atlantic and Pacific coastlines. They're often in large flocks, and may be with with all-dark Black Scoters and larger White-winged Scoters, so it’s worth looking carefully through groups, especially if you have or can borrow a spotting scope.

Surf Scoters nest in some of the wildest parts of North America, in what’s known as the taiga shield ecotone in northern Canada and Alaska. Here, the boreal forest begins to blend with the tundra in a patchwork of wetlands, lakes, tundra, forests, shrublands, and meadows.

Breeds on lakes and ponds in northern Canada and Alaska; winters in flocks in harbors, bays, and other coastal waters, where dives for mussels and other aquatic invertebrates. Uncommon to rare inland, especially in migration. Frequently mixes with other sea …

The surf scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) is a large sea duck native to North America. Adult males are almost entirely black with characteristic white patches on the forehead and the nape and adult females are slightly smaller and browner.

The Surf Scoter is the only scoter species that breeds solely in North America, nesting near freshwater in remote boreal-forest regions of Canada and Alaska. This sea duck winters off both North American coasts as far south as Baja California; the majority winter off the Pacific Coast.

Mar 2, 2023 · Surf Scoters (Melanitta perspicillata) are mostly dark sea ducks with bulky bills and a curious nickname – “old skunkhead”. They prefer coastal habitats where they dive to catch aquatic invertebrates. Here is an overview of what you need to know about them.

Surf scoters are among the flashiest sea ducks around! Their jet-black color, white patches on their heads and multi-colored beaks make them stand out.