It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the Velvet Scoter, and some taxonomists still regard it as so.

At the river mouth species of birds include Scaup, Long-tailed Duck, Red-breasted Merganser and Velvet Scoter.

VELVET SCOTER Melanitta fusca.

The Velvet Scoter is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

Drake also has distinctive white patches on forehead and nape, and duck and immature have pale patch on nape as well as before and behind eye, like Velvet Scoter.

The investigation by Mr. Sharp showed that rehabilitation attempts made for several other marine birds, notably the western grebe and the velvet scoter, a sea duck, were just as unsuccessful as those applied to guillemots.

The Firth of Tay is outstanding for its extensive sand and mudflats, its population of common seals and for its wintering birds such as oystercatcher, bar-tailed godwit, shelduck and velvet scoter.

The East Siberian and North American White-winged Scoter is sometimes considered conspecific with the Velvet Scoter, and its two constituent subspecies are then known as M. f. stejnegeri and M. f. deglandi.

The Velvet Scoter (Melanitta fusca), also called a Velvet Duck or whitewing (not to be confused with the white-winged scoter), is a large sea duck, which breeds over the far north of Europe and Asia west of the Yenisey basin.

The ash lagoons have provided a roost site for gulls, shorebirds and terns; while the seawall provides excellent views of the flocks of sea ducks such as Common Eider, Velvet Scoter, Red-breasted Merganser, Long-tailed Duck and Common Goldeneye.

Velvet Scoter are virtually confined to the sea or sometimes tidal waters, but oiled birds may visit fresh water near the coast; there are two very old inland records, and single birds were seen at Weir Wood Reservoir on 1 February 1970 and Darwell Reservoir on 12 November 1972.

VELVET SCOTER Melanitta fusca.

The Velvet Scoter (Melanitta fusca), also called a Velvet Duck or whitewing (not to be confused with the white-winged scoter), is a large sea duck, which breeds over the far north of Europe and Asia west of the Yenisey basin.