Black Scoter

Melanitta nigra

The Black Scoter drake appears all black in flight except for an orange (or bright yellow) knob at the base of its bill and the flash of a slight gray underwing. The hen is mottled brown with a dark cap and pale cheeks. This sea duck can be found in the coastal waters of Alaska, the Pacific Northwest and the Northeast.

Length: 19 1/2"
Weight: 2 1/2 lbs.

Scoters feed on mollusks, crabs, and some fish and very little vegetation. They are locally known as "coots."

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