Black Scoter

Melanitta americana (Melanitta nigra)

General Status Rank: 
Sensitive
ELCODE: 
ABNJB17010
Common Name: 
Black Scoter
Scientific Name: 
Melanitta americana (Melanitta nigra)
Synonyms: 
Melanitta nigra
Naming References: 
ASC13
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Taxonomy
Group: 
Bird
Kingdom: 
Animalia
Phylum: 
Chordata
Class: 
Aves
Order: 
Anseriformes
Family: 
Anatidae
References: 
ASC13
General Biology

Female Age at Maturity

2
References: 
GG9

Longevity

unknown, can live >8 yr
References: 
GG9

Economic/Human Considerations

important to subsistence hunters in the north, sport hunters in southern Canada and US
References: 
H131
Habitat
coastal and larger freshwater
References: 
B004
H131
W121
Distribution

Ecozones

Southern Arctic, Taiga Plains
References: 
B158

Distribution

<0.03, Few confirmed breeding records (B004); Range extent in the NWT unknown, ~10% of total NWT area, from estimated area of presence, but breeding status unknown. Range extent visually estimated from range map in "Distribution of birds in NWT & Nunavut: 2009 Review" (CWS). Recent satellite telemetry studies indicate that the majority of black scoters marked in the Great Lakes and Atlantic regions migrate to breeding sites in the south eastern portion of NWT (east of Great Slave Lake), just outside of the traditional survey area (W121) accessed Feb 10, 2015). In 2014, USFWS conducted preliminary breeding waterfowl surveys in the area and found scoters were among the top 5 waterfowl species breeding in the area, and BLSC comprised a majority of the observations of scoters they could ID to species (Walt Rhodes, USFWS pilot-biologist, pers comm to H308.)
Score: 
F
References: 
B004
H308
W121
Winter Distribution Description: 
coastal North America

Number of Occurrences

rare, dispersed breeder
Score: 
BC
References: 
H131

Historical Distribution

unknown, but possibly similar to present
References: 
H131

Area of Occupancy

unknown but presumed stable
Score: 
-
References: 
W119
R270
Population

Population Size

No accurate estimate for only this species and range extent is unknown
References: 
H308

Density

dispersed breeder
Trends

Trends

Difficult to determine severity of trend for each species as surveys group all three scoter species together. In 2014, Scoter spp. declined ~34% from the previous year and declined 25% since 1955 (USFWS W119 C & N. Alberta–N.E. British Columbia–NWT transects (strata 13-18, 20, & 77); continental population for scoter spp declined by 30% since 1955 (R270)
Score: 
E
References: 
W119
R270
Threats

Threats

potential over-hunting, habitat loss, oil spills, possibly contaminants, pressures on population occur mainly outside NT/NU in southern breeding areas and wintering grounds
Score: 
C
References: 
H131

Intrinsic Vulnerability

possibly pollution, development, global climate change; a large portion of the eastern North American population passes though one location: the Bay of Chaleur QC/BC and along the St. Lawrence estuary on their spring migration.
Score: 
-
References: 
H131
General Status Rank
Rank: 
Sensitive
Status Rank Description: 
Atlantic population declining, NWT/NU are at edge of species range; 2014 recent satellite telemetry studies indicate that the majority of black scoters marked in the Great Lakes and Atlantic regions migrate to breeding sites in the south eastern portion of NWT (east of Great Slave Lake). In 2014, USFWS conducted preliminary breeding waterfowl surveys in the area and found scoters were among the top 5 waterfowl species breeding in the area, and BLSC comprised a majority of the observations of scoters they could ID to species (Walt Rhodes, USFWS pilot-biologist, pers comm to H308.)
S Rank: 
S3
Decision Process Description: 
Drafted by Grant Gilchrist based mostly on printed material in 2000. Reviewed in 2005 by J. Hines and C. Swoboda based on printed literature only, no change in status; Reviewed in 2010;no change ; Reviewed by Ian Fife and Cindy Wood CWS in 2015, no change
Last Updated: 
July 10, 2015

References

Age Of Maturity

  • Bordage, D and J.L. Savard (1995) Black Scoter. The Academy of Natural Sciences and The American Ornithologists' Union Birds of North America No. 177 CWS office. Yellowknife - GG9 Return

Area of Occupancy

  • USFWS (2014) Accessed by CWS Region (Ian Fife and Cindy Wood) February 2015 https://migbirdapps.fws.gov/mbdc/databases/mas/maydb.asp - W119 Return
  • Olson, S.M. (2014) United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Vancouver, WA. 114pp - R270 Return

Economic Status

  • Gilchrist Grant (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife Population Biologist, Eastern Arctic, CWS Yellowknife - H131 Return

Ecozones

  • Bordage, D., and J. L. Savard. (1995) Black Scoter (Melanitta nigra). In The Birds of North America,. The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. No. 177 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). No. 177 - B158 Return

Habitat

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return
  • Gilchrist Grant (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife Population Biologist, Eastern Arctic, CWS Yellowknife - H131 Return
  • USFW, Bird Studies Canada et al. (2014) http://seaduckjv.org/atlantic_migration_study.html - W121 Return

Historical Distribution

  • Gilchrist Grant (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife Population Biologist, Eastern Arctic, CWS Yellowknife - H131 Return

Intrinsic Vulnerability

  • Gilchrist Grant (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife Population Biologist, Eastern Arctic, CWS Yellowknife - H131 Return

Longevity

  • Bordage, D and J.L. Savard (1995) Black Scoter. The Academy of Natural Sciences and The American Ornithologists' Union Birds of North America No. 177 CWS office. Yellowknife - GG9 Return

Naming

  • Chesser, R. Terry, Richard C. Banks, F. Keith Barker, Carla Cicero, Jon L. Dunn, Andrew W. Kratter, Irby J. Lovette, Pamela C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, James D. Rising, Douglas F. Stotz, Kevin Winker. (2010) Fifty-first supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-List of North American Birds.. Auk 127(3):726-744. - ASC13 Return

NWT Known Subspecies

Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return

Number of Occurrences

  • Gilchrist Grant (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife Population Biologist, Eastern Arctic, CWS Yellowknife - H131 Return

Population Size

Cindy Wood and Ian Fife (2015) e-copy - H308 Return

Range Extent

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return
  • Cindy Wood and Ian Fife (2015) e-copy - H308 Return
  • USFW, Bird Studies Canada et al. (2014) http://seaduckjv.org/atlantic_migration_study.html - W121 Return

Short Term Trends

  • USFWS (2014) Accessed by CWS Region (Ian Fife and Cindy Wood) February 2015 https://migbirdapps.fws.gov/mbdc/databases/mas/maydb.asp - W119 Return
  • Olson, S.M. (2014) United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Vancouver, WA. 114pp - R270 Return

Taxonomy

  • Chesser, R. Terry, Richard C. Banks, F. Keith Barker, Carla Cicero, Jon L. Dunn, Andrew W. Kratter, Irby J. Lovette, Pamela C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, James D. Rising, Douglas F. Stotz, Kevin Winker. (2010) Fifty-first supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-List of North American Birds.. Auk 127(3):726-744. - ASC13 Return

Threats

  • Gilchrist Grant (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife Population Biologist, Eastern Arctic, CWS Yellowknife - H131 Return