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Black Scoter

Status Common transient, uncommon in winter, rare in summer. All three scoters tend to migrate well offshore, and times of arrival and departure are often not discerned. The southward flight of the Black Scoter may be earlier than those of the other two scoters; several flocks were observed passing Cape Sable during 8-15 August 1968 (B.F. Smith). However, the peak of movement is in October. Estimates of 100-200 birds come from some Christmas Bird Counts but generally few are reported during winter. There is a distinct movement in April and early May, and the latest reported in recent years were 20 at Pictou on 20 May 1967. A later bird was taken on Trout Lake, Annapolis County, on 22 May 1938. Several at Aspy Bay, Victoria County, on 19 August 1941 (Godfrey 1959b) were probably summering non-breeders.

Description Length: 43-53 cm. All plumages: No white on wing. Adult male: Solid coal black with base of bill enlarged and coloured bright yellow-orange. Adult female: Dark brown, paler on abdomen; sharply defined, pale grayish brown patch covering cheeks, throat and sides of upper neck, contrasting with the dark brown cap and back of neck.

Range In North America, breeds from Alaska locally to Newfoundland. Winters on the Atlantic coast from Newfoundland to Florida, and on the Pacific coast from the Aleutian Islands to California. Another subspecies is found in Europe and Asia.

Remarks This species is the least abundant of the three scoters. It is commonly known to hunters by the names "black coot" and "butter-nose coot" the former because of the colour of its plumage and the latter because of the strange butter coloured protuberance at the base of the male's bill. It takes off from water more abruptly than most other "diving ducks," a feature which is helpful in field identification.