What kind of bird is a scoter?

What kind of bird is black with an orange knob?

Adult males are silky black with an orange knob at the base of the bill. Female and immatures are rich brown with a blackish cap and a contrasting pale cheek. Black Scoters are usually seen in flocks, migrating in long lines or resting on the water.

Where can I find a May scoter?

May occur in flocks with other scoter species. Bill considerably smaller and straighter than Surf Scoter’s (second from left). Found mainly in saltwater along rocky coastlines. Looking for ID Help? Get Instant ID help for 650+ North American birds.

Where do black scoters go in the winter?

Black Scoters form large winter flocks along both Atlantic and Pacific coastlines, though they are scarcer south of the Carolinas and northern California. During late autumn, tens of thousands may migrate southward past prominent headlands or peninsulas.

What type of animal is a scoter?

scoter, also called Sea Coot, (genus Melanitta ), any of three species of sea duck of the family Anatidae. Within the divisions of true duck species, the scoter belongs in the diving duck group.

How do you identify a scoter?

So if we get a good look at the bill shape (which admittedly is not always possible if they are distant), the identification becomes simple and definitive. Look for this feature when you have a mixed flock of scoters and test yourself with the birds shown below.

Where does the surf scoter live?

The surf scoter ( Melanitta perspicillata) of North America breeds in the boreal forests and tundra of Canada and Alaska. It winters on coasts from Nova Scotia to Florida in the east and from the Aleutian Islands to southern California in the west.

Where can I find a common scoter?

In the breeding season the common scoter favours small lochs in N and W Scotland, especially the Flow Country of Caithness and Sutherland. In winter it is found off the UK coast with concentrations in Carmarthen and Cardigan Bays, along the Moray Firth and along the North Norfolk coast.

Where can I find a Scoter in Washington State?

When and Where to Find in Washington. The most common scoter in the region, Surf Scoters are seen in large flocks from July through mid-May along the entire coast of Washington, in large estuaries, and in Puget Sound. During migration, Surf Scoters are found rarely in freshwater lakes inland and on the Columbia River.

Where can I find surf scoters?

During migration, Surf Scoters are found rarely in freshwater lakes inland and on the Columbia River. Flocks of non-breeders can also be seen in coastal areas in the summer in some of the more heavily used winter locations such as Penn Cove off Whidbey Island and Drayton Harbor in Whatcom County.

Where do marine birds nest in Washington State?

Many marine birds nest of offshore islands and rocks that are, for the most part, free of mammalian predators and human disturbance. In Washington, most of the important nesting colonies for seabirds are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Washington Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

What are the best birding spots in Washington State?

Washington Birding Hotspots 1 Skagit Wildlife Area. … 2 Discovery Park. … 3 Olympic National Park. … 4 Mount Rainier National Park. … 5 Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge. … 6 Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge. … 7 Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. … 8 Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge. … 9 Billy Frank Jr. … 10 Wenas.

What kind of sea ducks live in Washington State?

Scoters are Washington’s most common sea duck. The surf scoter is the most abundant of Washington’s three scoter species. The drake surf scoter, with its unusual and brightly colored head, is a unique trophy for duck hunters. Both the white-winged and black scoter is larger than the surf scoter.

Where can I find a bird rescue in Washington State?

CONTACT: Christopher Driggins N. W. Bird Rescue & Adoption Orphanage lnc.13215 N.E. MiII PIain BIvd. C-8 – BIdg. # 101 Vancouver, WA 98684 (360) 247-3626 (503) 247-3626www.northwestbirdrescue.org Since 1999, N.W.Bird Rescue & Adoption Orphanage lnc. has been pIacing exotic birds to the individuaIs in our community.

Where to go birding in Ocean Shores?

The best place for bird watching is the Refuge trails in the west, the southern and southwestern part of Ocean Shores. A popular destination is Point Brown jetty in Ocean Shores where you can scan the Pacific Ocean. 5. The Great Washington State Birding Trail

When is the best time to go birding in Washington State?

Migration peaks in late April and early May, and birding is best within two hours of high tide. Each May, there’s a very popular shorebird festival with programs and field trips. You can reach the refuge trail at the western end of Airport Way in Hoquiam.

How many species of tropicbirds have been recorded in Washington?

Thirty-one species have been recorded in Washington. Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their long wings have black markings, as does the head. One species has been recorded in Washington.

Where can I go birding in Seattle?

However, visitors to Seattle don’t have to go far to enjoy good birding. Several locations around the city have cumulative bird lists of more than 200, including Discovery Park, just four miles from the Space Needle. The site with the largest species list in the state, in fact, is the Point No Point Lighthouse, on a peninsula in Puget Sound.

Where do marine birds live in Washington?

Marine birds live in Washington’s intertidal, estuarine, and pelagic environments of the Puget Sound, San Juan Archipelago, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Washington coast. Some of these birds spend the vast majority of their lives at sea and only come to land to nest — some even spend the first few years at sea without ever touching land.

How common are nest nests in Washington?

Nests are rare or absent from the Columbia Basin and southeastern Washington, but overwintering birds can be locally common.

Where do bald eagles nest in Washington?

Bald eagles nest primarily along marine shorelines and major rivers of western and northeastern Washington. Nests are rare or absent from the Columbia Basin and southeastern Washington, but overwintering birds can be locally common.

How many birding trails are there in Washington State?

The great state of Washington is too diverse to be encompassed by one birding trail, which explains why Audubon Washington has established a series of seven looping trails and mapped them independently.

What are the best places to visit in Washington State?

Arguably the most spectacular park Washington has to offer due to the 14,410-foot active volcano that is on the doorstep of Seattle. Whether you want to summit Mount Rainier or take a quest to see high-elevation species of bids, this is simply a breathtaking park. Paradise and Sunrise areas are very popular destinations for bird watchers.

Where to go birding in Washington State?

A popular destination is Point Brown jetty in Ocean Shores where you can scan the Pacific Ocean. 5. The Great Washington State Birding Trail Washington is so diverse in habitat and nature it has seven looped trails that visit some of the best areas Washington has to offer.

What kind of ducks live in Puget Sound?

Surf scoters are one of the most abundant diving ducks in Puget Sound between September and May, with the highest densities in southern and central Puget Sound (Nysewander et al. 2005).

How many species of ducks live in Washington State?

The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils. Forty-seven species have been recorded in Washington.

What kind of animals live in Washington State?

Species like the marbled murrelet, pigeon guillemot, and harlequin duck depend on Washington’s marine environment for food — such as forage fish and marine invertebrates — and nest in the region. Other species are more far-flung.

Are there any migratory waterfowl in Washington State?

Migratory waterfowl identification. White-fronted geese. There are many different duck and goose species available to Washington hunters. This can make being in the field challenging for some because within the daily bag limits and possession limits, there are more restrictive limits on certain species.