Black Scoter
Melanitta americana
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderAnseriformes
- FamilyAnatidae (Anàtids)
- GenusMelanitta (Scoters)
- SpeciesMelanitta americana (Black Scoter)
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 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, based on 69 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Surf Scoter
Melanitta perspicillata
American White-winged Scoter
Melanitta deglandi
Common Merganser
Mergus merganser
Bufflehead
Bucephala albeola
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Taiga Bean Goose
Anser fabalis
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serrator
Common Teal
Anas crecca
Hooded Merganser
Lophodytes cucullatus
American Wigeon
Mareca americana
Harlequin Duck
Histrionicus histrionicus
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
📅 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
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Cape Breton Highlands National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Katmai National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Great Bear Rainforest | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 6 | Gros Morne National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Pacific Rim National Park Reserve | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 8 | Point Pelee National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 9 | Wrangell-St. Elias National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Kenai Fjords National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Olympic National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 13 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | Isle Royale National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 15 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 16 | Denali National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 17 | Vatnajokull National Park | 🇮🇸 Iceland | |
| 18 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 19 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Black Scoter in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve?
About 3% of wildlife watchers report a Black Scoter sighting in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, based on 69 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Black Scoter in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve?
February has the highest sighting rate for Black Scoter in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve in our monthly data.