Common Scoter vs Stejneger's Scoter

Melanitta nigra compared with Melanitta stejnegeri

Key Differences

• Common Scoter is Least Concern while Stejneger's Scoter is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Scoter	Stejneger's Scoter
Kingdom same	Animalia (동물)	Animalia (동물)
Phylum same	Chordata (척삭동물)	Chordata (척삭동물)
Class same	Aves (새)	Aves (새)
Order same	Anseriformes (기러기목)	Anseriformes (기러기목)
Family same	Anatidae	Anatidae
Genus same	Melanitta	Melanitta
Species	Melanitta nigra	Melanitta stejnegeri

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Scoter and Stejneger's Scoter share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Melanitta.

Conservation Status

Common Scoter

LC — Least Concern

Stejneger's Scoter

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Scoter	Stejneger's Scoter
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Scoter

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Stejneger's Scoter

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Common Scoter

<em>Melanitta nigra</em>, the common scoter, is a sea duck in the family Anatidae, order Anseriformes, breeding across subarctic and boreal regions of Europe and northeastern North America. This species winters primarily along coastal marine environments, with records from Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the United States reflecting both breeding and wintering distributions. The common scoter typically nests near freshwater lakes and bogs in boreal and tundra habitats, migrating to sheltered coastal bays and estuaries during winter where it dives for bivalves, crustaceans, and other benthic invertebrates. Males are predominantly black with a characteristic orange-yellow knob at the base of the bill, while females are brown with pale cheek patches. <em>Melanitta nigra</em> is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, though populations have experienced declines in some regions due to changes in wintering habitat quality and food availability. Biological traits for this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature, including comprehensive data on average lifespan, body length, weight, and full dietary composition across seasons.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden