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White-winged scoter

Scientific name: Melanitta deglandi

Field notes

Appearance

Males are black overall with white eye patches and bright white secondary flight feathers visible in flight; females are dark brown with white facial patches and similar wing markings. Both sexes show white wing patches in flight, making them distinctive among scoter species.

Size and weight

Males 500–1,000 g (average 750 g), females 400–850 g; body length 48–56 cm.

Habitat

White-winged scoters inhabit deep freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and coastal marine waters. They prefer open water with access to diving depths of 3–9 metres and staging areas near productive feeding grounds.

Distribution

This species breeds across boreal and subarctic North America from Alaska to Labrador; populations migrate to wintering grounds on both Atlantic and Pacific coasts and inland reservoirs across the southern United States and Mexico.

Diet

Scoters dive for benthic invertebrates, primarily aquatic insect larvae (chironomids), molluscs, and crustaceans; they also consume aquatic vegetation and seeds seasonally.

Behaviour

White-winged scoters are highly gregarious, often forming large rafts on open water; they are most active during dawn and dusk feeding periods but remain on water throughout daylight. They take flight noisily and require long running starts across water.

Hunting tips

Glass open water and rafting birds at distance using binoculars to identify flocks; approach via water when possible or use natural shoreline cover and low terrain to avoid silhouetting. Call diving scoters with duck calls to investigate; expect birds to flush with considerable noise and water spray.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 1 country in Huntify.

Names in other languages

Current language: en

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.