Velvet Scoter (Melanitta fusca)

Appearance:

White secondaries the most striking feature in all plumages. Generally heavy built with large bill, heavy head, thick neck and short tail. Male: black with white crescent below eye and partly orange bill. Female sooty black with variable light patches at lore and cheek. Flaps it's wings with a raised head when on water. Dives without jumping and with wings slightly open. Swimming birds may not always show white secondaries. Tends to form less dense flocks than Common Scoter, often with birds in single file.

Sound:

Seldom heard. Calls: Short accented "tup tup tup" and a shivering "gahhahahaha".

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC
Facts:
Length (cm):
51-58
Wingspan (cm):
90-99
Weight (gram):
1100-2000
Size group:
Crow-size
Similar species (image):
Similar species (sound):
Silhouette Group:
Duck-like
Silhouette
Next species
Prev species
Change to another species
Compare to another species
Several different images of the species
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage
Several different sounds of the species