Ducks, geese, and swans · Waterfowl
Velvet Scoter
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Melanitta fusca
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How to recognize it
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51–56 cm long
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Male: glossy black plumage, a white wing patch and a small spot behind the eye; part of the bill orange
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Female: dull brown plumage, a white spot between the eye and bill; white wing patch in both sexes
About the species
The male is glossy black, with a broad white patch on each wing and a small white mark behind the eye. Orange covers much of his bill, which has a dark base. The female is browner and less glossy, with a pale patch between eye and bill; white also shows on her wings.
It dives beneath the surface to search for food and can stay underwater for about a minute. During courtship, several males gather around several females and dive underwater toward them. Paired females later fly low over the ground, returning to the same spot before laying eggs.
It nests on the ground in thick cover near lakes, rivers or the sea, in northern forests and tundra. After breeding in northern Europe and parts of northern Asia, it moves south for winter, gathering in large flocks on temperate coastal waters, including the Black and Caspian seas. It dives for mollusks and crustaceans.
Where to find
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In winter, along the Black and Caspian coasts, look for velvet scoters in tightly packed flocks that may take off together.
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Over coastal water, watch for dives in search of crustaceans and molluscs.
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In late winter and spring, look for pairs arriving at nesting grounds on mountain lakes in the northern breeding range.
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Before eggs are laid, listen near northern lakes, rivers or coasts in the morning for females calling loudly as they fly low over the ground and return to the same spot.
