Scoter

Scoter
For U.S. Navy ships named Scoter, see USS Scoter.
Scoters
Adult male White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Subfamily: Merginae
Genus: Melanitta
Boie, 1822
Species
  • Melanitta nigra

(Common Scoter)

  • Melanitta americana

(Black or American Scoter)

  • Melanitta fusca

(Velvet Scoter)

  • Melanitta deglandi

(White-winged Scoter)

  • Melanitta perspicillata

(Surf Scoter)
Synonyms

Oidemia

The scoters are stocky seaducks in the genus Melanitta. The drakes are mostly black and have swollen bills. Females are brown.

They breed in the far north of Europe, Asia and North America, and winter further south in temperate zones of those continents. They form large flocks on suitable coastal waters. These are tightly packed, and the birds tend to take off together.

Their lined nests are built on the ground close to the sea, lakes or rivers, in woodland or tundra. These species dive for crustaceans and molluscs.

There are five species, grouped into two subgenera:

The presumed fossil "scoter" Melanitta ceruttii which lived in California during the Late Pliocene is now placed in the genus Histrionicus.



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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Scoter — Sco ter, n. [Cf. Prov. E. scote to plow up.] (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of several species of northern sea ducks of the genus {Oidemia}. [1913 Webster] Note: The European scoters are {Oidemia nigra}, called also {black duck}, {black diver}, {surf duck};… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • scoter — [skōt′ər] n. pl. scoters or scoter [< ?] any of several large, dark colored sea ducks (genera Oidemia and Melanitta), found chiefly along the N coasts of Europe and North America …   English World dictionary

  • scoter — /skoh teuhr/, n., pl. scoters, (esp. collectively) scoter. any of the large diving ducks of the genus Melanitta, inhabiting northern parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Also, scooter. [1665 75; orig. uncert.] * * * or sea coot Any of three species… …   Universalium

  • scoter — noun (plural scoters or scoter) Etymology: origin unknown Date: circa 1674 any of a genus (Melanitta) of sea ducks of chiefly coastal Eurasia, Canada, and the United States that have males with chiefly black plumage …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • scoter — nuodėgulės statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Melanitta angl. scoter rus. синьга, f; турпан, m pranc. macreuse, f ryšiai: platesnis terminas – dančiasnapiai siauresnis terminas – baltakaktė nuodėgulė siauresnis terminas –… …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • scoter — noun /ˈskəʊtə/lang=en Any one of several species of northern sea ducks of the genera Oidemia and Melanitta. When I went birdwatching, I saw lots of scoters …   Wiktionary

  • scoter — n. (Zoology) large sea duck native of north coasts of the northern hemisphere (drake has black feathers with white spots and the female is brown) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • scoter — [ skəʊtə] noun (plural same or scoters) a northern diving duck that winters off the coast, the male of which has mainly black plumage. [Genus Melanitta: three species.] Origin C17: perh. an error for sooter (with ref. to its black plumage) …   English new terms dictionary

  • scoter — sco·ter …   English syllables

  • scoter — sco•ter [[t]ˈskoʊ tər[/t]] n. pl. ters, (esp. collectively) ter. orn any of the large diving ducks of the genus Melanitta, inhabiting N parts of the Northern Hemisphere • Etymology: 1665–75; orig. uncert …   From formal English to slang

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