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[[Image:Velvet_Scoter.jpg|thumb|450px|right|Male White-winged Scoter (American)<br />Photo by {{user|digitalbirder|digitalbirder}}<br />Location: White Rock, [[British Columbia]], [[Canada]]]]
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[[Image:Velvet_Scoter.jpg|thumb|450px|right|Male White-winged Scoter (American)<br />Photo by {{user|digitalbirder|digitalbirder}}<br />White Rock, [[British Columbia]], [[Canada]]]]
;[[:Category:Melanitta|Melanitta]] fusca
;[[:Category:Melanitta|Melanitta]] fusca
'''Includes Velvet Scoter'''
'''Includes Velvet Scoter'''
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==Identification==
==Identification==
51-58cm. Male: Black, white 'tear drop' just behind the eye, yellow long bill, thick neck and pointed tail. In flight, it shows a white patch on the rear of the wing. Female: brown and somewhat scaly looking, with two pale spots in the head, one on the auriculars, one between eye and bill.
51-58cm. Male: Black, white 'tear drop' just behind the eye, yellow long bill, thick neck and pointed tail. In flight, it shows a white patch on the rear of the wing. Female: brown and somewhat scaly looking, with two pale spots in the head, one on the auriculars, one between eye and bill.
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*''stejnegeri'': Head shape closer to eider in shape, with a long, sloping forehead. White around eye similar to or longer than ''deglandi''. It has a clear knob on the bill, further forward than ''deglandi'', and the colored parts are mostly red with yellow "lipstick" below. Flanks are black.
*''stejnegeri'': Head shape closer to eider in shape, with a long, sloping forehead. White around eye similar to or longer than ''deglandi''. It has a clear knob on the bill, further forward than ''deglandi'', and the colored parts are mostly red with yellow "lipstick" below. Flanks are black.
*''fusca'': the least knob on the bill, and the least white around and behind the eye; almost no white above the eye. The colored section of the bill is yellow and relatively long and the distance from the base of that to the eye is short, producing the impression that the eye is positioned relatively far forward on the head. The crown looks highest above the eye.
*''fusca'': the least knob on the bill, and the least white around and behind the eye; almost no white above the eye. The colored section of the bill is yellow and relatively long and the distance from the base of that to the eye is short, producing the impression that the eye is positioned relatively far forward on the head. The crown looks highest above the eye.
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==Distribution==
==Distribution==
Breeds in northern areas around the globe, such as [[Scandinavia]] (especially [[Sweden]] and [[Norway]]), northern [[Asia]], and northern [[North America]].
Breeds in northern areas around the globe, such as [[Scandinavia]] (especially [[Sweden]] and [[Norway]]), northern [[Asia]], and northern [[North America]].
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Migrates in winter to areas that have coastal open water, for example in [[Europe]] will be found from Norway to [[Spain]] and east to the Caspian Sea.
Migrates in winter to areas that have coastal open water, for example in [[Europe]] will be found from Norway to [[Spain]] and east to the Caspian Sea.
[[Image:Velvet_Scoter2.jpg|thumb|450px|right|Female "Velvet Scoter", Eurasian ''fusca'' <br />Photo by {{user|Gwynn|Gwynn}}<br />[[Austria]]]]
Three subspecies are currently recognized:
Three subspecies are currently recognized:
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*''deglandi'' (White-winged Scoter) occurs in North America and includes ''dixoni'' which is no longer recognized.
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*''deglandi'' (White-winged Scoter) occurs in [[North America]] and includes ''dixoni'' which is no longer recognized.
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*''stejnegeri'' is found in Estern Asia. This form is also sometimes proposed for recognition as a full species, Asian White-winged or Stejneger's Scoter.
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*''stejnegeri'' is found in Eastern [[Asia]]. This form is also sometimes proposed for recognition as a full species, Asian White-winged or Stejneger's Scoter.
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*''fusca'' is found in Europe and western Asia, .
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*''fusca'' is found in [[Europe]] and western [[Asia]].
The subspecies ''deglandi'' has in the past and is increasingly again recognized as a full species (for example by the British BOURC), which would keep the name of White-winged Scoter; subspecies ''fusca'' would then become Velvet Scoter. Subspecies ''stejnegeri'' would be a subspecies of ''M. deglandi'' if BOURC is followed, but has also sometimes been considered a full species. Opus follows the developments in the worldwide checklists.
The subspecies ''deglandi'' has in the past and is increasingly again recognized as a full species (for example by the British BOURC), which would keep the name of White-winged Scoter; subspecies ''fusca'' would then become Velvet Scoter. Subspecies ''stejnegeri'' would be a subspecies of ''M. deglandi'' if BOURC is followed, but has also sometimes been considered a full species. Opus follows the developments in the worldwide checklists.
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Lakes, coastal waters, estuaries.
Lakes, coastal waters, estuaries.
==Behaviour==
==Behaviour==
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====Diet====
The diet includes shellfish, crabs, sea urchins, fish, insect larvae and plants.
The diet includes shellfish, crabs, sea urchins, fish, insect larvae and plants.
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====Breeding====
It builds a lined nest on the ground close to the sea, lakes or rivers, in woodland or tundra. 7-9 eggs are laid.
It builds a lined nest on the ground close to the sea, lakes or rivers, in woodland or tundra. 7-9 eggs are laid.
51-58cm. Male: Black, white 'tear drop' just behind the eye, yellow long bill, thick neck and pointed tail. In flight, it shows a white patch on the rear of the wing. Female: brown and somewhat scaly looking, with two pale spots in the head, one on the auriculars, one between eye and bill.
[edit]Notes on distinguishing males of the subspecies
deglandi: clear knob at the base of the bill, with the yellow-orange part relatively short, so that the eye looks set further back on head than fusca. The white around the eye is shaped as a checkmark, pointed up at the rear end. The colored part of the bill is orange with the top parts looking yellow. The crown is highest in front of the eye. When seen well, flanks will be brown in contrast to black back and breast.
Male White-winged Scoter (European) in flight Photo by jtwood Location: East Lothian, Scotland, UK, January 2008
stejnegeri: Head shape closer to eider in shape, with a long, sloping forehead. White around eye similar to or longer than deglandi. It has a clear knob on the bill, further forward than deglandi, and the colored parts are mostly red with yellow "lipstick" below. Flanks are black.
fusca: the least knob on the bill, and the least white around and behind the eye; almost no white above the eye. The colored section of the bill is yellow and relatively long and the distance from the base of that to the eye is short, producing the impression that the eye is positioned relatively far forward on the head. The crown looks highest above the eye.
The subspecies deglandi has in the past and is increasingly again recognized as a full species (for example by the British BOURC), which would keep the name of White-winged Scoter; subspecies fusca would then become Velvet Scoter. Subspecies stejnegeri would be a subspecies of M. deglandi if BOURC is followed, but has also sometimes been considered a full species. Opus follows the developments in the worldwide checklists.
Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
DUDLEY et al. 2006. The British List: A Checklist of Birds of Britain (7th edition). Ibis 148:526–563 with online updates to 2009
R Strack 2010. Fløjlsænder. Fugle i Felten, #1, January 2010, pg 6-7. (in Danish)
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