Surf Scoter Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesSurf Scoter
Adult male
Medium-sized, mostly black sea duck with a large, sloping orange bill. Note white patch on back of neck.
© Matt Davis / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, March 23, 2019Female
Medium-sized dark-brown sea duck with a large, sloping black bill. Two white patches on the face: one behind bill and the other behind the eye.
© Sharif Uddin / Macaulay LibraryWashington, November 29, 2019Males and females
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 01, 1997Not all videos have sound
Adult male
Medium-sized sea duck with all dark wings. Note large orange bill and white patch on back of neck.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryManitoba, June 11, 2009Female
Medium-sized brownish sea duck with all dark wings. Note large, dark, sloping bill and two white patches on the face.
© Sean Fitzgerald / Macaulay LibraryWashington, August 23, 2018Adult males and females
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 25, 2011Not all videos have sound
Immature male
Brownish sea duck with dark head and large, sloping bill, becoming orange as the bird ages.
© Daniel Irons / Macaulay LibraryMaryland, February 09, 2020Female and immature male
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 27, 2011Not all videos have sound
Female
Brownish sea duck with large, dark, sloping bill. Cap is darker than face. Two white facial patches are visible from long distances.
© Janet Rathjen / Macaulay LibraryTexas, May 29, 2015Flock
Can form large flocks. Typically found fairly near shore in saltwater, sometimes diving under breaking waves.
© Vanessa Lugin / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, May 03, 2018Similar SpeciesWhite-winged Scoter
Adult male
Males have a large white patch in the wing (often concealed) that Surf Scoters lack. They also have a smaller bill than Surf Scoters and lack the white head patch.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, July 08, 2017Similar SpeciesWhite-winged Scoter
Female
Females have an oval white patch between the bill and eye as opposed to the vertical patch on the side of the head on female Surf Scoters. They also have a large white patch in wings (often concealed).
© Kevin Hannah / Macaulay LibraryOntario, January 01, 2017Similar SpeciesBlack Scoter
Adult male
Male Black Scoters have a yellow knob on their bill that Surf Scoters lack. Their body is entirely black unlike Surf Scoters.
© Doug Hitchcox / Macaulay LibraryMaine, December 21, 2016Similar SpeciesBlack Scoter
Female
Female Black Scoters have a darker cap and a larger white cheek patch than female Surf Scoters.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew Jersey, May 27, 2017Similar SpeciesAmerican Coot
Adult
American Coots are smaller than Surf Scoters with a smaller and thinner bill. They also lack the Surf Scoters white patch on the back of the neck.
© Christoph Moning / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 27, 2010Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
Compare with Similar Species
Click on an image to compare
Species in This Family
Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl(Order: Anseriformes, Family: Anatidae)
Don't miss a thing! Join our email list
The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds,
birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation.