Surf Scoter

Melanitta perspicillata

General Status Rank: 
Sensitive
ELCODE: 
ABNJB17020
Common Name: 
Surf Scoter
Scientific Name: 
Melanitta perspicillata
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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

2-3
References: 
GG10

Longevity

unknown
References: 
GG10

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

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

Distribution

0.70 (B004); range covers ~80% of 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; Atlantic (from Alaska to California) and Pacific (from Nova Scotia to southern US) coasts

Number of Occurrences

Much greater than 100, dispersed breeder
References: 
H131

Historical Distribution

unknown
References: 
H131

Area of Occupancy

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

Population Size

Not possible to obtain an accurate estimate of SUSC population size because surveys do not differentiate scoters by species. 2014 USFWS waterfowl surveys (W119) estimate 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 SUSC in NWT. Population estimate from: R270
Score: 
F
References: 
W119
R270

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 (W119 USFWS breeding waterfowl surveys in 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; Highly susceptible to environmental impacts because they congregate in large groups on moulting and wintering areas (R266)
Score: 
B
References: 
R266

Intrinsic Vulnerability

possibly pollution, development, global climate change
Score: 
-
References: 
R266
General Status Rank
Rank: 
Sensitive
Status Rank Description: 
population possibly declining
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

  • Savard, J-P. L., Bordage, D. and A. Reed (1998) Surf Scoter. The Academy of Natural Sciences and The American Ornithologists' Union Birds of North America No. 363 CWS office. Yellowknife - GG10 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

  • 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

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

Intrinsic Vulnerability

  • 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

Longevity

  • Savard, J-P. L., Bordage, D. and A. Reed (1998) Surf Scoter. The Academy of Natural Sciences and The American Ornithologists' Union Birds of North America No. 363 CWS office. Yellowknife - GG10 Return

NWT Known Subspecies

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

Number of Occurrences

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

Population Size

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

  • 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