Velvet Scoter
Melanitta fusca
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAnseriformes (Waterfowl)
- FamilyAnatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)
- GenusMelanitta (Scoters)
- SpeciesMelanitta fusca (Velvet Scoter)
About the Velvet Scoter
The velvet scoter (Melanitta fusca) is a large sea duck, which breeds over the far north of Europe and the Palearctic west of the Yenisey basin. The genus name is derived from Ancient Greek melas "black" and netta "duck". The species name is from the Latin fuscus "dusky brown".
The velvet scoter was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Anas fusca. Linnaeus specified the type locality as European seas but restricted this to the Swedish coast in 1761. The velvet scoter is now one of six species placed in the genus Melanitta that was introduced in 1822 by the German zoologist Friedrich Boie. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek melas meaning "black" and netta meaning "duck". The specific epithet fusca is from Latin fuscus meaning "dusky", "black" or "brown". The species is considered to be monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.
The velvet scooter was formerly considered to be conspecific with the white-winged scoter (Melanitta deglandi) of North America and Stejneger's scoter (Melanitta stejnegeri) of eastern Siberia and northwest Mongolia. The velvet... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Velvet Scoter in Wadden Sea National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Wadden Sea National Park
Common Scoter
Melanitta nigra
American White-winged Scoter
Melanitta deglandi
Surf Scoter
Melanitta perspicillata
Black Scoter
Melanitta americana
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Greylag Goose
Anser anser
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadorna
Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsis
Gadwall
Mareca strepera
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligula
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelope
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeata
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 2 | Camargue | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 3 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 4 | Doñana National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 5 | Triglav National Park | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | |
| 6 | Białowieża National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 7 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 8 | Fertő-Hanság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 9 | Cairngorms National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 10 | Vatnajokull National Park | 🇮🇸 Iceland |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Velvet Scoter in Wadden Sea National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Velvet Scoter sighting in Wadden Sea National Park, based on 203 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Velvet Scoter in Wadden Sea National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Velvet Scoter in Wadden Sea National Park in our monthly data.