The common scoter (Melanitta nigra) is a large sea duck, in length, which breeds over the far north of Europe and the Palearctic east to the Olenyok River. The black scoter (M. americana) of North America and eastern Siberia was formerly considered to be a subspecies.

Taxonomy

The common scoter was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Anas nigra. Linnaeus specified the type locality as Lapland, England. The common scoter is now one of six species placed in the genus Melanitta that was introduced in 1822 by the German zoologist Friedrich Boie. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek meaning "black" and meaning "duck". The common scoter was formerly considered to be conspecific with the black scoter (Melanitta americana) but the two taxa are now treated as separate species. The common scoter is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.

At the third steering group meeting of the UK Common Scoter Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP), the population in the Shell Flat area was put at 16,500 wintering scoter and 5,000 moulting birds, of which 4,000 used the footprint area of the proposed wind farm.

References

  • Common scoter Photos, text and map at Oiseaux.net