White-winged Scoter

Melanitta deglandi (Melanitta fusca)

General Status Rank: 
Sensitive
ELCODE: 
ABNJB17030
Common Name: 
White-winged Scoter
Scientific Name: 
Melanitta deglandi (Melanitta fusca)
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Taxonomy
Group: 
Bird
Kingdom: 
Animalia
Phylum: 
Chordata
Class: 
Aves
Order: 
Anseriformes
Family: 
Anatidae
References: 
B004
General Biology

Female Age at Maturity

2
References: 
GG8

Longevity

average age unknown, oldest known female was 18 yr
References: 
GG8

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
Distribution

Ecozones

Southern Arctic, Taiga Cordillera, Taiga Plains, Taiga Shield, Boreal Cordillera, Boreal Plains
References: 
B004

Distribution

0.77 (B004); range covers ~85% of the NWT. Range extent visually estimated from range map in "Distribution of birds in NWT & Nunavut: 2009 Review" (CWS).
Score: 
G
References: 
B004
Winter Distribution Description: 
coastal North America, eastern Great Lakes

Number of Occurrences

dispersed breeder, Much greater than 100
Score: 
D
References: 
H131

Historical Distribution

unknown, but possibly similar to present
References: 
B999

Area of Occupancy

unknown
Score: 
-
References: 
W119
R270
Population

Population Size

Not possible to obtain an accurate estimate of WWSC population size because surveys do not differentiate scoters by species. W119: 656,446 Scoter spp. in the C. & N. Alberta–N.E. British Columbia–NWT transects (strata 13-18, 20, & 77). Very rough estimate would be >10,000 WWSC in NWT. Population estimate from R270.
Score: 
F
References: 
GG7
W119
R270

Density

Density of WWSC appear to be higher in the western portion of their range (R266).
References: 
R266
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 breeding waterfowl surveys 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: 
B
References: 
H131

Intrinsic Vulnerability

possibly pollution, development, global climate change, overfishing reducing availability of spawn
Score: 
-
References: 
H131
General Status Rank
Rank: 
Sensitive
Status Rank Description: 
Continental population declined by as much as 30% since 1950's
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: 
February 17, 2015

References

Age Of Maturity

  • Brown, P.W. and L.H. Fredrickson (1997) White-winged Scoter. The Academy of Natural Sciences and The American Ornithologists' Union Birds of North America No. 274 CWS office. Yellowknife - GG8 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

Density

  • Canadian Wildlife Service Waterfowl Committee. 2014. Population Status of Migratory Game Birds in Canada: November 2014. CWS Migratory Birds Regulatory Report Number 44. (2014) CWS Migratory Birds Regulatory Report Number 44. - R266 Return

Economic Status

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

Ecozones

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

Historical Distribution

  • Bellrose, RC (1980) Ducks, geese, and swans of North America. Wildlife Mangement Institute and Stackpole Books 3rd edition CWS office. Yellowknife - B999 Return

Intrinsic Vulnerability

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

Longevity

  • Brown, P.W. and L.H. Fredrickson (1997) White-winged Scoter. The Academy of Natural Sciences and The American Ornithologists' Union Birds of North America No. 274 CWS office. Yellowknife - GG8 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

Sea Duck Joint Venture Management Board (1999) Sea Duck Joint Venture Prospectus. Sea Duck Joint Venture Management Board February 1999 CWS office. Yellowknife - GG7 Return
,
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

Range Extent

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

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

Threats

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