Table of Contents
Overview
Distribution
Range Description
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National Distribution
Canada
Origin: Native
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Present
Confidence: Confident
Type of Residency: Year-round
United States
Origin: Native
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Present
Confidence: Confident
Type of Residency: Year-round
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Global Range: (>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)) BREEDS: western Alaska (scattered nesting in northern Alaska?), Mackenzie Delta, northern Prairie Provinces, to James Bay and Newfoundland; central Labrador; possibly northeastern Siberia. WINTERS: primarily coastal from Aleutian Islands to Baja California and Gulf of California (mainly coast of southeastern Alaska and British Columbia, also the coast near San Diego); Nova Scotia to Florida, Gulf Coast (rarely); Great Lakes; casual in other areas; accidental in Hawaii (Oahu). In the early 1990s, USFWS Winter Sea Duck Survey in eastern North America found the highest densities of scoters (all species) in Virginia, New York, Maine, and Massachusetts (descending order of abundance, Kehoe 1994).
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Physical Description
Size
Ecology
Habitat
Habitat and Ecology
Systems
- Terrestrial
- Freshwater
- Marine
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Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 59 samples.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): 0 - 0
Temperature range (°C): 12.220 - 16.316
Nitrate (umol/L): 0.240 - 3.951
Salinity (PPS): 30.381 - 33.496
Oxygen (ml/l): 5.685 - 6.395
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.330 - 0.674
Silicate (umol/l): 1.436 - 16.169
Graphical representation
Temperature range (°C): 12.220 - 16.316
Nitrate (umol/L): 0.240 - 3.951
Salinity (PPS): 30.381 - 33.496
Oxygen (ml/l): 5.685 - 6.395
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.330 - 0.674
Silicate (umol/l): 1.436 - 16.169
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
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Comments: Nonbreeding: primarily marine littoral areas, less frequently in bays or on freshwater lakes and rivers (AOU 1983). Nests in brushy tundra, in freshwater marsh, or in wooded area near pond, bog, or stream. Nests on the ground in an area protected by vegetative cover. The nest is a depression lined with plant material and down.
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Migration
Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.
Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).
Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.
Migrates northward in flocks along coast with peak in April-May. Migrates southward from breeding grounds late August-October. In Beaufort Sea area, westward migration of males to molting areas occurs in late spring-early summer.
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Trophic Strategy
Comments: Eats mainly invertebrates; mollusks (especially blue mussel and other bivalves), crustaceans and aquatic insects. In summer also some plant food (pondweeds, wild celery, muskgrass and seeds of sedges and bulrushes). May dive to depths of 2-9 m and stay under water 19-32 seconds (Terres 1980).
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Population Biology
Life History and Behavior
Reproduction
Breeding begins generally around mid-June. In northern Quebec, egg laying began in the first week of June; hatching occurred in the second and third weeks of July (Savard and Lamothe, 1991, Can. Field-Nat. 105:488-496). Clutch size is 5-8. Incubation is done by female (male departs). Precocial young are tended by female.
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Molecular Biology and Genetics
Molecular Biology
Barcode data: Melanitta perspicillata
There are 2 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank. Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species. See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.
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Download FASTA File
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Statistics of barcoding coverage: Melanitta perspicillata
Public Records: 2
Species: 2
Species With Barcodes: 1
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Conservation
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List Assessment
Red List Category
Red List Criteria
Version
Year Assessed
Assessor/s
Reviewer/s
Contributor/s
Justification
History
- 2008Least Concern
- 2004Least Concern
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National NatureServe Conservation Status
Canada
Rounded National Status Rank: N5B,N5N : N5B: Secure - Breeding, N5N: Secure - Nonbreeding
United States
Rounded National Status Rank: N5B,N5N : N5B: Secure - Breeding, N5N: Secure - Nonbreeding
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NatureServe Conservation Status
Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure
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Threats
Comments: Hydroelectric projects in Quebec and Labrador have had localized impacts on breeding habitat, but effects on the continental population probably have been small; urbanization and industrialization of many coastal bays and estuaries have degraded some winter habitat; chemical contamination and heavy metal accumulation of winter food supplies possibly may be affecting reproductive success of some populations (Kehoe 1994). Vulnerable to overharvest through hunting (Kehoe 1994).
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Management
Biological Research Needs: More information is needed on basic biology (Kehoe 1994).
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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems
Benefits
Economic Uses
Comments: In recent decades, annual harvest in eastern North America averaged 31,450 (50% in eastern Canada) (Kehoe 1994).
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Wikipedia
Surf Scoter
The Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) is a large sea duck, which breeds in Canada and Alaska. It is placed in the subgenus Melanitta, along with the Velvet and White-winged Scoters, distinct from the subgenus Oidemia, Black and Common Scoters.
It winters further south in temperate zones, on the coasts of the northern USA. Small numbers regularly winter in western Europe as far south as Great Britain and Ireland. Some birds may over-winter on the Great Lakes. It forms large flocks on suitable coastal waters. These are tightly packed, and the birds tend to take off together.
The lined nest is built on the ground close to the sea, lakes or rivers, in woodland or tundra. 5-9 eggs are laid. An egg may range from 55-79 grams (1.9-2.8 oz) and average 43.9 mm (1.7 inches) in breadth and 62.4 mm (2.5 inches) in length. Occasional (and likely accidental) brood mixing between different females occurs in areas with high densities of nests. Growth is relatively rapid and the incubation period is about 28 to 30 days. The offspring will fledge independently at about 55 days.
The adult female averages about 900 grams (2 lbs.) and 44 cm (17 inches) in length, while the adult male is on average 1050 grams (2.3 lbs.) and 48 cm (19 inches) in length, making this the smallest species of scoter on average. It is characterised by its bulky shape and large bill. The male is all black, except for white patches on the nape and forehead. It has a bulbous red, yellow and white bill. The females are brown birds with pale head patches. The wedge-shaped head and lack of white in the wings helps to distinguish female Surf Scoters from female Velvet Scoters.
Adult scoters of this species dive for crustaceans and molluscs, while the ducklings live off any variety of freshwater invertebrates.
In November, 2007, an oil spill in San Francisco harbour oiled and killed thousands of birds including many Surf Scoters. About 40 per cent of the birds affected were from this species. Scientists said that while the species is not endangered it has declined 50 to 70 per cent over the past 40 years and this spill could decrease populations since most of the affected birds are healthy adults.[2]
References
- ^ BirdLife International (2004). Melanitta perspicillata. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
- ^ San Fran oil spill hurts Canadian sea duck population. CBC News. November 23, 2007. [1]
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