Common Scoter
Common ScoterCommon ScoterCommon ScoterCommon Scoter

Common Scoter

Melanitta nigra

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Wadden Sea National Park
1,262 Verified records at Wadden Sea National Park
October Best month highest sighting rate
🌅 Crepuscular When it's active at dawn and dusk

The common scoter (Melanitta nigra) is a large sea duck, 43–54 cm (17–21 in) in length, which breeds over the far north of Europe and the Palearctic east to the Olenyok River. The black scoter (M. americana) of North America and eastern Siberia was formerly considered to be a subspecies. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Common Scoter sighting in Wadden Sea National Park, based on 1,262 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Wadden Sea National Park

Velvet Scoter
VU

Velvet Scoter

Bird

Melanitta fusca

<5% · Rare
American White-winged Scoter
LC

American White-winged Scoter

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melanitta deglandi

<5% · Rare
Surf Scoter
LC

Surf Scoter

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melanitta perspicillata

Insufficient data
Black Scoter
NT

Black Scoter

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melanitta americana

Insufficient data
Mallard
LC

Mallard

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas platyrhynchos

60–70% · Likely
Common Shelduck
LC

Common Shelduck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tadorna tadorna

30–40% · Possible
Barnacle Goose
LC

Barnacle Goose

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Branta leucopsis

30–40% · Possible
Gadwall
LC

Gadwall

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mareca strepera

30–40% · Possible
Tufted Duck
LC

Tufted Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aythya fuligula

20–30% · Possible
Eurasian Wigeon
LC

Eurasian Wigeon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mareca penelope

20–30% · Possible
Northern Shoveler
LC

Northern Shoveler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spatula clypeata

20–30% · Possible
Common Eider
NT

Common Eider

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Somateria mollissima

20–30% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
5–10
Feb
5–10
Mar
5–10
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
5–10
Jul
5–10
Aug
10–20
Sep
20–30
Oct
10–20
Nov
10–20
Dec

🌅 When They're Spotted

Most active at dawn and dusk · across all parks (global)

🌅Crepuscular
☀️🌙🌙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 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
10–20%
2 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
10–20%
3 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%
4 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
5 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
Insufficient data
6 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
Insufficient data
7 Gauja National Park 🇱🇻 Latvia
Insufficient data
8 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Common Scoter in Wadden Sea National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Scoter sighting in Wadden Sea National Park, based on 1,262 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Common Scoter in Wadden Sea National Park?

October has the highest sighting rate for Common Scoter in Wadden Sea National Park in our monthly data.

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