Photo: Stefan Berndtsson / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Waterbirds

Common Scoter

Melanitta nigra

Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Quebec Birds of England Birds of Bedfordshire Birds of Buckinghamshire Birds of South Yorkshire Birds of Berkshire Birds of Bristol Birds of Cambridgeshire Birds of Cheshire Birds of Cumbria

By family

Ducks, Geese & Swans of Quebec Ducks, Geese & Swans of England

See what's near you right now

The Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 1 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae Ducks, Geese, Swans
Genus Melanitta
Species nigra

Where it lives

Southeastern Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, and northern, western Scandinavia to Olenyok River (north-central Siberia)

Europe & Northern Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 1 kg
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Near Threatened

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Common Scoter hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it swims and feeds in and around water.

Migration

The Common Scoter is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra) is a species of bird in the Anatidae family, part of the order Anseriformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL se Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, and n, w Scandinavia to Olenyok River (nc Siberia).

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1 kg, with a wing length of about 22.1 cm and a tail of around 8 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 4.5 million km².

Songs & calls

Common Scoter — Call, flight call, nocturnal flight call

Recorded by Mark James Pearson Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Common Scoter?

The Common Scoter is a very large bird that weighs around 1 kg.

Where does the Common Scoter live?

The Common Scoter is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL se Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, and n, w Scandinavia to Olenyok River (nc Siberia), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Common Scoter belong to?

The Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.

What does the Common Scoter eat?

The Common Scoter hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Common Scoter migrate?

The Common Scoter is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Common Scoter endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Common Scoter make?

1 real field recording of the Common Scoter — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Common Scoter's range?

The Common Scoter has a mapped global range of about 4.5 million km².