Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra) and
Velvet Scoter (Melanitta fusca)
Key Findings
- Common and velvet scoter and medium sized ducks that breed in small upland lochs before migrating to the coast in late summer to moult, The stay on the coast through the winter and non breading birds can remain all year.
- Common scoter is a red list species with around 50 breeding pairs in the UK, around 135,000 bird winter off the British coast. Velvet Scoter does not breed in the UK and has a wintering population of around 3,000.
- In the North East of Scotland region both species of Scoter are common all year and can seen seen throughout the coastline. they reach their peak number in summer with a large moulting flock cantered on the area between the Ythan and the Don. This represents around 2% of the moulting Common Scoter Population.
- Number of scoters are counted as part of WeBs system with the area around Blackdog having the highest counts and the longest continues series of records. While number vary greatly from year to year the overall trend is stable.
Common scoter Ythan Estuary @ianhaywildlife
Common crane peak count and breeding
Notes
Linked Information Sheets
Key sources of Information
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Status
Live. Next update due 06/11/25
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Contact us
Telephone: 07971149117
E-mail: ian.hay@stateofthecoast.scot
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