The Surf Scoter is a diving sea duck seen along the U.S. Pacific and Atlantic coasts outside the breeding season. Males have black bodies, bright orange bills, and white patches on the forehead and back of the head.
Appearance
Appearance
Males are black with white on the forehead and nape. Brown females have two pale facial patches and a broad, sloping bill; the wings are dark in both sexes.
Look for a large white wing patch, especially in flight; Surf Scoter wings stay dark.
Why they get mixed up · Both are large, dark sea ducks seen together offshore.
Where it lives
Typical habitats
coastal bays
nearshore ocean
northern lakes
Range
They breed around lakes in Alaska and northern Canada. Many spend the colder months along both U.S. coasts, including California and the Atlantic coast; migrants sometimes pause on inland lakes.
Behavior
Diet
Along U.S. coasts they dive for mussels, clams, and other small seafloor animals.
Activity
They often gather in flocks close to shore and dive beneath the waves.
Life cycle
Nest
In Alaska and northern Canada, females nest on the ground near shallow freshwater lakes.
Clutch size
6–9 eggs
Conservation
IUCN Red List
LCLeast Concern·Low risk of extinction
Status
Pollution and changes to coastal habitat remain concerns for this sea duck.