Common Scoter
A species of Scoters Scientific name : Melanitta nigra Genus : Scoters
Common Scoter, A species of Scoters
Botanical name: Melanitta nigra
Genus: Scoters
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Marton Berntsen , used under CC-BY-SA-4.0 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
It is characterised by its bulky shape and large bill. The male is all black with a bulbous bill which shows some yellow coloration around the nostrils. The female is a brown bird with pale cheeks, very similar to female black scoter. This species can be distinguished from other scoters, apart from black scoter, by the lack of white anywhere on the drake and the more extensive pale areas on the female. 
Size
54 cm
Colors
Brown
Black
Yellow
Life Expectancy
16 years
Feeding Habits
Common Scoter primarily dives to consume crustaceans and molluscs. On freshwater, it also feeds on aquatic insects and small fish, utilizing specialized diving techniques to forage.
Habitat
Common Scoter typically breeds on freshwater environments, including pools, small lakes, or slow-flowing rivers and streams situated in tundra, northern taiga, or boggy regions, sometimes incorporating scattered trees and avoiding steep slopes. Breeding elevations can reach up to 700 meters in boreal regions. During winter, common Scoter shifts to marine habitats, gathering in large flocks on coastal waters, often less than 20 meters deep, near low-lying, exposed coasts, usually positioned 0.5-2 km offshore. On migration, these birds may utilize freshwater wetlands as stopover sites. The species nests on the ground close to water bodies within woodland or tundra, where it lays 6-8 eggs.
Dite type
Aquatic invertebrate eater
General Info
Species Status
Not globally threatened.
Scientific Classification
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