Black Scoter

Melanitta americana

Also known as: American Scoter

About This Species

Look for rafts of this dark sea duck riding nearshore swells and diving for mollusks along northern coastlines in winter, often mixed with other scoter species. Breeding birds use remote Arctic and subarctic tundra pools in North America and Siberia, largely inaccessible to casual viewing. Winter along open coasts, especially on calm mornings with good light on the water, offers the most reliable views of feeding and resting flocks.

Ethical Viewing Guidelines

Because it is listed as Near Threatened, keep well back from rafts — 50 metres or more from a boat or shoreline — rather than drawing closer, since repeated flushing costs birds energy they need for winter survival.
It is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in North America and under comparable migratory bird protections across much of its Eurasian range, though exact rules differ by country.
Avoid approaching molting flocks in particular, when birds are flightless and especially vulnerable to disturbance.

NTAvesAnseriformesAnatidae

Seasonal Activity

554,744 sightings · 2000–2026

Citizen science records via GBIF

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Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae

Photo

CC-BY-NC-4.0

Occurrence data from GBIF.