Black Scoter
Black ScoterBlack ScoterBlack Scoter

Black Scoter

Melanitta americana

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
<5% · Rare
overall probability at Kenai Fjords National Park
9 Verified records at Kenai Fjords National Park
May Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The black scoter or American scoter (Melanitta americana) is a large sea duck, 43 to 49 cm (17 to 19 in) in length. The genus name is derived from Ancient Greek melas "black" and netta "duck". The species name is from the Latin for "American". Together with the common scoter M. nigra, it forms the subgenus Oidemia; the two are sometimes considered conspecific, the black scoter then being referred to as M. nigra americana. Its French name, used in parts of its Canadian range, is macreuse noire (also meaning "black scoter"). Wikipedia →

<5% of wildlife watchers report a Black Scoter sighting in Kenai Fjords National Park, based on 9 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Kenai Fjords National Park

Surf Scoter
LC

Surf Scoter

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melanitta perspicillata

20–30% · Possible
American White-winged Scoter
LC

American White-winged Scoter

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melanitta deglandi

10–20% · With luck
Common Merganser
LC

Common Merganser

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mergus merganser

10–20% · With luck
Harlequin Duck
LC

Harlequin Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Histrionicus histrionicus

10–20% · With luck
Red-breasted Merganser
LC

Red-breasted Merganser

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mergus serrator

5–10% · With luck
Greater Scaup
LC

Greater Scaup

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aythya marila

<5% · Rare
Gadwall
LC

Gadwall

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mareca strepera

<5% · Rare
Barrow's Goldeneye
LC

Barrow's Goldeneye

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bucephala islandica

<5% · Rare
Long-tailed Duck
VU

Long-tailed Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Clangula hyemalis

<5% · Rare
American Wigeon

American Wigeon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mareca americana

<5% · Rare
Brant
LC

Brant

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Branta bernicla

<5% · Rare
Common Teal
LC

Common Teal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas crecca

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

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

# Park Country Probability
1 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
2 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
3 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
4 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
5 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
6 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
7 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
8 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
9 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
10 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
11 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
12 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
13 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
14 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
15 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
16 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
17 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
Insufficient data
18 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
19 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Black Scoter in Kenai Fjords National Park?

About 1% of wildlife watchers report a Black Scoter sighting in Kenai Fjords National Park, based on 9 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Black Scoter in Kenai Fjords National Park?

May has the highest sighting rate for Black Scoter in Kenai Fjords National Park in our monthly data.

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