Thecommon scoter (Melanitta nigra) is a largesea duck, 43–54 cm (17–21 in) in length, which breeds over the far north ofEurope and thePalearctic east to theOlenyok River. Theblack scoter (M. americana) of North America and eastern Siberia was formerly considered to be asubspecies.
The common scoter is characterised by its bulky shape and large bill. The male is all black with a bulbous bill which shows some yellow coloration around thenostrils. The female is a brownbird 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. The black scoter and common scoter have diagnosably distinct vocalisations.[6]
Itwinters farther south intemperate zones, on the coasts ofEurope as far south asMorocco. It forms large flocks on suitable coastal waters. These are tightly packed, and the birds tend to take off and dive together.
In 1977, the ornithologistBruce Campbell estimated the wintering population in north-western Europe to be about 130,000, mostly in theBaltic area, and the UK population at about 20,000. There is a marked passage in spring through the Straits of Dover.[7]
In 2003, a previously unknown wintering population of 50,000+ was found onShell Flat in the north west ofEngland by Cirrus Energy whilst surveying the area for a newwind farm.[8] Due to this development and anoil spill off the coast of Wales in 1996, questions about the common scoter population have been asked in the UK Parliament.[9]
Although the common scoter is a winter visitor to the UK, there are some breeding pairs in the north ofScotland. The species has been placed on theRSPB conservation Red List because of a greater than 50% decline in the UK breeding population. In 1998, the UK Government agreed to a biodiversity action plan (BAP) for the common scoter to increase the breeding population to 100 pairs by 2008.[10] The Northern Irish population, which had reached a peak of 150–200 pairs in the 1970s, crashed disastrously in the 1990s and by 2010 there were no confirmed reports of breeding. However, 100 pairs were recorded in the south of Ireland in a 1995 survey. UK breeding pairs have declined to 35 as of 2015 and attempts are being made to research why.[11]
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.[12]
In parts of France, in the nineteenth century and earlier, the common scoter was accepted by the Roman Catholic Church as a substitute for fish during theFriday fast.
The scoters are said to appear on the coasts of France in great numbers, to which they are attracted by a certain kind of small bivalve shell fish calledvaimeaux ... At the flowing of the tide the scoters approach in great numbers, diving after their favourite food, and soon get entangled in the nets. ... These are sold to the Roman Catholics, who eat them on those days on which they are forbidden by their religion the use of animal food, fish excepted; these birds and a few others of the same fishy flavour, having been exempted from the interdict ...[13]
^Sangster, George (2009). "Acoustic differences between the scotersMelanitta nigra nigra andM. n. americana".The Wilson Journal of Ornithology.121 (4):696–702.doi:10.1676/04-088.1.
^Campbell, B. (1977).Birds of Coast and Sea Britain and Northern Europe. Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-19-217661-5.
^"Scoter Duck".American Ornithology. Constable's miscellany of original and selected publications in the various departments of literature, scoence & the arts. Vol. LXVIII-LXXI. Vol. 3. Printed for Constable and co.; etc., etc. 1831. pp. 212–213.
Underhill, M.C.; Gittings, T.; Callaghan, D.A.; Hughes, B.; Kirby, J.S.; Delany, S. (1 July 1998). "Status and distribution of breeding Common ScotersMelanitta nigra nigra in Britain and Ireland in 1995".Bird Study.45 (2):146–156.doi:10.1080/00063659809461087.
