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Common scoter
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{{short description|Species of bird}} {{Speciesbox | name = Common scoter | image = Eurasian common scoter.jpg | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2018 |title=''Melanitta nigra'' |volume=2018 |page=e.T22724879A132257623 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22724879A132257623.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref> | genus = Melanitta | parent = Melanitta (Oidemia) | species = nigra | authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]]) | synonyms = ''Anas nigra'' {{small|Linnaeus, 1758}} | range_map = MelanittaNigraIUCNver2019-2.png | range_map_caption = Range of ''M. nigra''{{leftlegend|#00FF00|Breeding|outline=gray}} {{leftlegend|#008000|Resident|outline=gray}} {{leftlegend|#007FFF|Non-breeding|outline=gray}} }} The '''common scoter''' ('''''Melanitta nigra''''') is a large [[Merginae|sea duck]], {{convert|43|β|54|cm|in|abbr=on}} 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]]. ==Taxonomy== The common scoter was [[Species description|formally described]] in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist [[Carl Linnaeus]] in the [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|tenth edition]] of his ''[[Systema Naturae]]'' under the [[binomial nomenclature|binomial name]] ''Anas nigra''.<ref>{{cite book | last=Linnaeus | first=Carl | author-link=Carl Linnaeus | year=1758 | title= Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis | volume=1 | edition=10th | page=123 | publisher=Laurentii Salvii | location=Holmiae (Stockholm) | language=Latin | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/727028 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite book | editor1-last=Mayr | editor1-first=Ernst | editor1-link=Ernst Mayr | editor2-last=Cottrell | editor2-first=G. William | year=1979 | title=Check-List of Birds of the World | volume=1 | edition=2nd | publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology | place=Cambridge, Massachusetts | page=493 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16109133 }}</ref> Linnaeus specified the [[type locality (biology)|type locality]] as Lapland, England. The common scoter is now one of six species placed in the genus ''[[Melanitta]]'' that was introduced in 1822 by the German zoologist [[Friedrich Boie]].<ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela C. Rasmussen | date=December 2023 | title=Screamers, ducks, geese & swans | work=IOC World Bird List Version 14.1 | url=http://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/waterfowl/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=15 June 2024 }}</ref> The genus name combines the [[Ancient Greek]] ''melas'' meaning "black" and ''netta'' meaning "duck".<ref>{{cite book | last= Jobling | first= James A | year= 2010| title= The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | url= https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling | publisher = Christopher Helm | location = London | isbn = 978-1-4081-2501-4 |page =[https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling/page/n246 246]}}</ref> The common scoter was formerly considered to be [[conspecific]] with the [[black scoter]] (''Melanitta americana'') but the two taxa are now treated as separate species. The common scoter is [[monotypic]]: no [[subspecies]] are recognised.<ref name=ioc/> ==Description== The common scoter is characterised by its bulky shape and large bill. The male is all black with a bulbous bill which shows some yellow coloration around the [[nostril]]s. The female is a brown [[bird]] with pale cheeks, very similar to female black scoter. This species can be distinguished from other scoters, apart from black scoter, by the lack of white anywhere on the drake and the more extensive pale areas on the female. The black scoter and common scoter have diagnosably distinct vocalisations.<ref name=Sangster2009/> ==Behaviour and ecology== It [[Bird migration|winters]] farther south in [[Temperate climate|temperate]] zones, on the coasts of [[Europe]] as far south as [[Morocco]]. It forms large flocks on suitable coastal waters. These are tightly packed, and the birds tend to take off and dive together. [[File:Melanitta nigra MWNH 1025.JPG|thumb|Egg, Collection [[Museum Wiesbaden]]]] The lined nest is built on the ground close to the sea, lakes or rivers, in woodland or [[tundra]]. 6β8 [[egg]]s are laid. This species dives for [[crustacean]]s and [[Mollusca|molluscs]]; it also eats aquatic [[insect]]s and small [[fish]] when on fresh water. The common scoter is one of the species to which the ''[[Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds]]'' (AEWA) applies. ==UK population and current issues== In 1977, the ornithologist [[Bruce Campbell (ornithologist)|Bruce Campbell]] estimated the wintering population in north-western Europe to be about 130,000, mostly in the [[Baltic region|Baltic]] area, and the UK population at about 20,000. There is a marked passage in spring through the Straits of Dover.<ref name=Campbell1977/> In 2003, a previously unknown wintering population of 50,000+ was found on [[Shell Flat]] in the north west of [[England]] by Cirrus Energy whilst surveying the area for a new [[wind farm]].<ref name="RSPB"/> Due to this development and an [[MV Sea Empress|oil spill]] off the coast of Wales in 1996, questions about the common scoter population have been asked in the UK Parliament.<ref name="Parliament"/> Although the common scoter is a winter visitor to the UK, there are some breeding pairs in the north of [[Scotland]]. The species has been placed on the [[RSPB]] conservation Red List because of a greater than 50% decline in the UK breeding population. In 1998, the UK Government agreed to a biodiversity action plan (BAP) for the common scoter to increase the breeding population to 100 pairs by 2008.<ref name=BAP/> The Northern Irish population, which had reached a peak of 150β200 pairs in the 1970s, crashed disastrously in the 1990s and by 2010 there were no confirmed reports of breeding. However, 100 pairs were recorded in the south of Ireland in a 1995 survey. UK breeding pairs have declined to 35 as of 2015 and attempts are being made to research why.<ref>[[BBC]] (London) [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-33642390 Chasing Britain's most threatened duck]</ref> At the third steering group meeting of the UK Common Scoter Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP), the population in the Shell Flat area was put at 16,500 wintering scoter and 5,000 moulting birds, of which 4,000 used the footprint area of the proposed wind farm.<ref name=BAP2/> ==Scoters and meatless Fridays in France== In parts of France, in the nineteenth century and earlier, the common scoter was accepted by the Roman Catholic Church as a substitute for fish during the [[Friday fast]]. {{blockquote|The scoters are said to appear on the coasts of France in great numbers, to which they are attracted by a certain kind of small bivalve shell fish called ''vaimeaux'' ... At the flowing of the tide the scoters approach in great numbers, diving after their favourite food, and soon get entangled in the nets. ... These are sold to the Roman Catholics, who eat them on those days on which they are forbidden by their religion the use of animal food, fish excepted; these birds and a few others of the same fishy flavour, having been exempted from the interdict ...<ref>{{cite book|chapter=Scoter Duck|title=American Ornithology|series=Constable's miscellany of original and selected publications in the various departments of literature, scoence & the arts. Vol. LXVIII-LXXI |year=1831|volume=3|pages=212β213|publisher=Printed for Constable and co.; etc., etc. |chapter-url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044019310895;view=1up;seq=236}}</ref>}} ==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name=BAP>{{Cite web |url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/biodiversity/RSPBandbiodiversity/lead_partner/birds/scoter/index.asp |title=Common scoter - the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds |access-date=2006-06-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051102202507/http://www.rspb.org.uk/biodiversity/RSPBandbiodiversity/lead_partner/birds/scoter/index.asp |archive-date=2005-11-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref> <ref name=BAP2>{{cite web |url=http://www.wwt.org.uk/threatsp/scoter/downloads/CS%20BAP%20SG3%20Minutes.doc |title=UK Common Scoter Biodiversity Action Plan |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060925172311/http://www.wwt.org.uk/threatsp/scoter/downloads/CS%20BAP%20SG3%20Minutes.doc |archive-date=2006-09-25}}</ref> <ref name=Campbell1977>{{cite book |last=Campbell |first=B. |year=1977 |title=Birds of Coast and Sea Britain and Northern Europe |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-217661-5}}</ref> <ref name="Parliament">{{cite web |title=House of Commons Hansard Debates (pt 12) |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmhansrd/vo011026/debtext/11026-12.htm |website=[[Parliament of the United Kingdom]] |date=2001-10-16}}</ref> <ref name="RSPB">{{cite web |url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/england/northwest/conservation/sites/index.asp |title=Protecting wildlife sites |work=[[RSPB]] |archive-date=2005-11-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051121010519/http://www.rspb.org.uk/england/northwest/conservation/sites/index.asp |url-status=dead}}</ref> <ref name=Sangster2009>{{cite journal |last=Sangster |first=George |author-link=George Sangster |year=2009 |title=Acoustic differences between the scoters ''Melanitta nigra nigra'' and ''M. n. americana'' |journal= The Wilson Journal of Ornithology |volume=121 |issue=4 |pages=696β702 |doi=10.1676/04-088.1 }}</ref> }} * {{cite journal |last1=Underhill |first1=M.C. |last2=Gittings |first2=T. |last3=Callaghan |first3=D.A. |last4=Hughes |first4=B. |last5=Kirby |first5=J.S. |last6=Delany |first6=S. |date=1 July 1998 |title=Status and distribution of breeding Common Scoters ''Melanitta nigra nigra'' in Britain and Ireland in 1995 |journal=Bird Study |volume=45 |issue=2 |pages=146β156 |doi=10.1080/00063659809461087 | ref=none}} ==External links== {{Commons category|Melanitta nigra}} {{Wikispecies|Melanitta nigra}} * [http://www.oiseaux.net/birds/photos/common.scoter.html Common scoter Photos, text and map] at [http://www.oiseaux.net Oiseaux.net] * {{BirdLife|22724879|Melanitta nigra}} * {{Avibase|name=Melanitta nigra}} * {{IUCN_Map|22724879/166428834|Melanitta nigra}} * {{Xeno-canto species|Melanitta|nigra|Common scoter}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q27434}} [[Category:Melanitta]] [[Category:Birds of Europe]] [[Category:Birds of the Middle East]] [[Category:Birds described in 1758]] [[Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]
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