Surf Scoter

Melanitta perspicillata

Introduction

This distinctive seaduck, which breeds in the far north of North America and winters south to Florida and California, is a scarce visitor to Britain & Ireland.

Records from Britain & Ireland mostly fall between October and March, although records off the Aberdeen coast tend to be a little earlier.

Intermediate in size between Common and Velvet Scoters and with a large bill that gives this species a heavy-headed appearance.

Key Stats

Status

Rare

Weight

1kg

Seasonality

<1%

BTO Records

11k records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

No current data

150% expansion

Identification

Curated resources to aid in the identification of Surf Scoter

ID Videos

Open Close

This section features BTO training videos headlining this species, or featuring it as a potential confusion species.

Scoters

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

Open Close

This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

Open Close

UK (passage)

30 individuals

Source

BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Firth of Forth, c. 1837

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

Open Close

Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

Open Close

Surf Scoters are scarce vagrants, with records from many coastal regions.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in winter

% occupied in winter

1.2%

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

Distribution Change

Open Close

This vagrant has been recorded in several atlases so we have been able to map distribution changes. However, as a rarity these may not show a consistent pattern of change.

Change in occupied 10-km squares in the UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007-11 and indicate by how much occupied areas have expanded or contracted over recent decades.

% change in range in winter (1981–84 to 2007–11)

150 %

Bird Atlas distribution change maps show how bird distributions have changed through time. Coloured upward-pointing triangles show places apparently colonised over the period; grey downward-pointing triangles show places apparently vacated. Shading show places occupied.

Winter Distribution change for Surf Scoter

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Seasonality

Open Close

Surf Scoter is a scarce vagrant, recorded throughout the year.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about Surf Scoter movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

Open Close

View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

European movements

Open Close

EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Surf Scoter, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Survival and Longevity

Open Close

Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Surf Scoter

Classification and Codes

Open Close

Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Scientific name: Melanitta perspicillata
Authority: Linnaeus, 1758

BTO 2-letter code: FS
BTO 5-letter code: SURSC
Euring code number: 2140

Alternate species names

Open Close

Catalan: ànec negre frontblanc
Czech: turpan pestrozobý
Danish: Brilleand
Dutch: Brilzee-eend
Estonian: prillvaeras
Finnish: pilkkaniska
French: Macreuse à front blanc

German: Brillenente
Hungarian: pápaszemes réce
Icelandic: Krákönd
Irish: Scótar Toinne
Italian: Orco marino dagli occhiali
Latvian: bangu pile
Lithuanian: baltakakte nuodegule
Norwegian: Brilleand

Polish: uhla pstrodzioba
Portuguese: negrola-de-lunetas
Slovak: turpan okuliarnatý
Slovenian: ocalarka
Spanish: Negrón careto
Swedish: vitnackad svärta
Welsh: Môr-hwyaden yr Ewyn

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

Find a Species

Search by common or scientific name

Or view the alphabetical list of UK bird species