Photo: Kim, Hyun-tae / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Waterbirds

Stejneger’s Scoter

Melanitta stejnegeri

Stejneger's Scoter (Melanitta stejnegeri) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Germany Birds of Spain Birds of the United Kingdom Birds of Ireland Birds of Japan Birds of the Philippines Birds of the United States Birds of Scotland Birds of East Lothian Birds of Fife

By family

Ducks, Geese & Swans of Germany Ducks, Geese & Swans of Spain Ducks, Geese & Swans of the United Kingdom Ducks, Geese & Swans of Ireland Ducks, Geese & Swans of Japan Ducks, Geese & Swans of the Philippines Ducks, Geese & Swans of the United States Ducks, Geese & Swans of Scotland

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The Stejneger’s Scoter (Melanitta stejnegeri) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 1.8 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 stejnegeri

Where it lives

Yenisey Basin to Kamchatka (central, eastern Siberia), northeastern Kazakhstan and northern, western Mongolia

Europe & Northern Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 1.8 kg
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

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

The Stejneger’s Scoter (Melanitta stejnegeri) is a species of bird in the Anatidae family, part of the order Anseriformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL Yenisey Basin to Kamchatka (c, e Siberia), ne Kazakhstan and n, w Mongolia.

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.8 kg, with a wing length of about 26.7 cm and a tail of around 6.9 cm.

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

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 6.5 million km².

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Stejneger’s Scoter?

The Stejneger’s Scoter is a very large bird that weighs around 1.8 kg.

Where does the Stejneger’s Scoter live?

The Stejneger’s Scoter is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL Yenisey Basin to Kamchatka (c, e Siberia), ne Kazakhstan and n, w Mongolia, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Stejneger’s Scoter belong to?

The Stejneger’s Scoter (Melanitta stejnegeri) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.

What does the Stejneger’s Scoter eat?

The Stejneger’s Scoter hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Stejneger’s Scoter migrate?

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

Is the Stejneger’s 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.

How large is the Stejneger’s Scoter's range?

The Stejneger’s Scoter has a mapped global range of about 6.5 million km².