Melanitta perspicillata, or the Surf Scoter as it is more commonly known, is a fairly well known sea duck that breeds in northern climes, namely Canada and Alaska. It’s aquatic nature brings an inevitable connection to Newfoundlanders, which means an inevitable saucy name.
It has been known on this island as the Bald Coot, which doesn’t exactly bring the image of a duck to mind, especially not a bird. So if you’re out and about, and someone talks about Bald Coots, don’t get your hopes up. Alternatively, if it’s late at night and you’re in a bar in downtown St. John’s, you needn’t discuss the Western Europe distribution of the Surf Scoter during winter, if someone mentions their bald coot. Just a tip.
But then Surf Scoter doesn’t sound all that innocent either, come to think of it…
Updates, additions, questions? Email me at andrewjhiscock [at] gmail [dot] com
