HUNTING HORIZONS - Worldwide Hunting Seasons Database

The Common Scoter [Melanitta nigra] is a large sea duck which breeds over the far north of Europe and Asia east to the Olenyok River. It winters further south in temperate zones, on the coasts of Europe as far south as Morocco and along the Atlantic coast of Africa as far south as Mauritania. . It forms large flocks on suitable coastal waters, these are tightly packed, and the birds tend to take off and dive together.
LENGTH: 43-54 cm WEIGHT: 1.0 kg WINGSPAN: 76-89 cm
It is characterised by its bulky shape and large bill and can be distinguished from other scoters, apart from Black, by the lack of white anywhere on the drake, and the more extensive pale areas on the female; it will typically hold its tailed raised.
MALE: The male is all black with a bulbous bill which shows yellow coloration around the nostrils.
FEMALE: Females are dark smoky brown with pale brownish grey cheeks.
JUVENILE: As female but paler on lower head and underparts which are barred whitish.
HABITAT: freshwater marshes, coastal waters. Winters in coastal waters, particularly sheltered bays. Breeds on the ground close to the sea, lakes or rivers, in woodland or tundra.
FEEDING: Feeds by diving for crustaceans and molluscs; it also eats aquatic insects and small fish when on fresh water.
CALL: Male - far carrying, fluting whistle. Female - grating not fluting whistles.
FLIGHT: They fly fast and low over the waves in characteristic straggly black lines, wings making whistling noise. If such birds show no white at all on the wings as they fly they will almost certainly be a Common Scoter.