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Melanitta perspicillata
The Surf Scoter breeds on freshwater lakes, where the male defends a moving area around the female. The female with a brood is not territorial. Accidental exchanges of young among Surf Scoter broods are frequent on crowded lakes. Because the mother provides no parental care other than guarding the chicks, evolutionary selection to prevent such mixups may not be very strong. (Cornell)
Spotted on Feb 2, 2014
Submitted on Feb 2, 2014
2 Comments
Thanks Bill. They're common in the ocean during winter on both coasts. But your only chance looks like it might be in the Great lakes during migration. They breed up in the Arctic.
Great series Tom! I've never seen one of these before. Thanks for sharing!