Black Scoter

Overview

The Black Scoter is a medium-sized sea duck that breeds on remote tundra and boreal lakes and winters along ocean coastlines, often in large single- or mixed-species flocks with other scoters. Unlike the Surf and White-winged Scoters, the breeding male Black Scoter shows completely black body and head plumage without any white patches, making the bright orange-yellow knob at the base of the bill its most prominent field mark. Females are dark brown with a paler cheek and throat contrasting against a darker cap.

Feather Identification

• Absence of white: The breeding male's plumage is uniformly black from head to tail with no white patches anywhere - the single clearest distinction from the Surf Scoter (white forehead/nape patches) and White-winged Scoter (white wing patch).
• Female facial contrast: Females show a pale, buffy cheek and throat clearly contrasting with a darker cap and body, a useful identification feature among brownish female scoters.
• Overall body tone: Deep black feathering with a slight sheen in good light, without any of the mottling or patches found in related species.
• Wing pattern: Wings are uniformly dark, without a white speculum, in contrast to the White-winged Scoter.
• Bill note: Though not a feather trait, the bright orange-yellow basal knob on the male's bill is a strong supporting field mark when paired with all-black body feathering.

Plumage Notes

Breeding males are entirely black with no white feather markings, the only scoter to show this pattern. Females and immatures are dark brown with a paler cheek and throat contrasting against a darker crown. Eclipse males remain largely black, similar to breeding plumage, with relatively little seasonal change compared to some other ducks. The species undergoes a complete molt after breeding with a flightless period. Juveniles resemble females and gradually take on the male's uniformly black plumage.

Habitat & Range

Black Scoters breed on remote tundra and boreal lakes in parts of North America and northeastern Asia, nesting on the ground near water. In winter, they move to coastal ocean waters, often forming large flocks along temperate coastlines, sometimes mixing with Surf and White-winged Scoters. The species is migratory, moving between northern breeding lakes and coastal wintering grounds.

Behavior & Field Notes

Black Scoters dive to forage on aquatic invertebrates along the seafloor, often in nearshore waters with moderate wave action. They are gregarious outside the breeding season, forming dense rafts that can include other scoter species. Nesting occurs on the ground near remote lakes, well concealed in low vegetation. The species is somewhat more vocal than other scoters, with males giving a distinctive whistled call during courtship and social interactions, audible over open water.