Surf Scoter
Melanitta perspicillata
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderAnseriformes
- FamilyAnatidae (Anàtids)
- GenusMelanitta (Scoters)
- SpeciesMelanitta perspicillata (Surf Scoter)
The surf scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) is a large sea duck native to North America. Adult males are almost entirely black with characteristic white patches on the forehead and the nape and adult females are slightly smaller and browner. Surf scoters breed in Northern Canada and Alaska and winter along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North America. They are diving ducks and mainly feed on benthic invertebrates, mussels representing an important part of their diet. Wikipedia →
<5% of wildlife watchers report a Surf Scoter sighting in Gros Morne National Park, based on 13 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Gros Morne National Park
Black Scoter
Melanitta americana
American White-winged Scoter
Melanitta deglandi
American Black Duck
Anas rubripes
Common Eider
Somateria mollissima
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
Common Merganser
Mergus merganser
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serrator
Lesser Scaup
Aythya affinis
Common Teal
Anas crecca
Ring-necked Duck
Aythya collaris
Harlequin Duck
Histrionicus histrionicus
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Surf Scoter in Gros Morne National Park?
About 1% of wildlife watchers report a Surf Scoter sighting in Gros Morne National Park, based on 13 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Surf Scoter in Gros Morne National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Surf Scoter in Gros Morne National Park in our monthly data.