{"id":2532,"date":"2019-11-08T17:55:54","date_gmt":"2019-11-08T17:55:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/?p=2532"},"modified":"2019-11-22T17:00:50","modified_gmt":"2019-11-22T17:00:50","slug":"surf-scoter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/2019\/11\/08\/surf-scoter\/","title":{"rendered":"Surf Scoter: The Most Sensitive Waterbird in Town."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Identification<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Male Surf Scoter floating about. Taken by Kurt Hasselman<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Female Surf Scoter also floating about. Taken by Kurt Hasselman<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Introducing the Surf Scoter or Melanitta perspicillata<\/em>, this goofy-looking waterfowl earned his endearing nickname “Old Skunkhead” with the black and white patches of his head. (Cornell University: All about birds) They fall under the common name of the duck family, however, their correct family name is Anatidae. This little weirdo is easy to ID. With an unmistakeable marking that almost looks like it has a giant third eye at the base of their sloping orange bill they really can’t be missed. When differentiating between the females and males, as in most bird species, we look for the duller colours in females including a less haunting orange and white bill. when ID’ing solo females you want to look for two white patches on her head as well as the sloping beak with a grey, less eyeball looking, marking at the base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Life as a Scoter <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

These birds are ground nesters that will nest and rear their chicks near lakes of northern Canada and Alaska. (Cornell: All About Birds) Scoters will find their mates during winter months when the males perform their courtship dance. Males will hold a stiff neck, periodically dipping their beak into the water and preening themselves. They may also do short bursts of almost flights out of the water landing near the female and calling out. If she is impressed by his moves, she will give a “chin-lift” behaviour and all, and then the wedding bells are ringing. Lastly, the male will raise his tail, shake his head and turn away to show off his handsome white patches. (Cornell: All About Birds) When its time for scoters to make their nests they will do so and hide it under vegetation to protect their eggs or fledglings. They create the classic nest bowl that we see in children’s books and cartoons. (Cornell: All About Birds) Then they spend the rest of their life cycle floating around the Atlantic and Pacific ocean coasts looking for aquatic vegetation and hunting benthic prey. (Ydenberg & Schenkeveld, 1895) Benthic prey being a fancy term for creatures that live at the bottom of the ocean floor. They too enjoy the delicacies of clams, mussels, and escargot, but will also munch on marine worms, hydrozoans (a cousin of the jellyfish) and aquatic vegetation. (Cornell: All About Birds)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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