Race:
Melanitta deglandi stejnegeri Ridgway, 1887

Synonyms

Melanitta fusca steinegeri Ridg.
Oidemia fusca steinegeri Ridg.
Oidemia deglandi Bp.

Description

Male White-winged Scoter is glossy-black; wing-speculum and under-eye spot are white. Legs are red. Eyes are grayish-white. Specific features: adult male on base of bill have large outgrowth which top-end impend forward; nostrils are rounded (Velvet Scoter has narrow long nostrils); lores feathers close to nostrils less than 5 mm. Female is dark-brownish, belly is with whitish tips of feathers, speculum is white; on lores and on ear there are two large patches, paler than upperparts. Legs are dirty-yellow, bill grayish-brown, eyes are brownish. Juveniles are similar on female. Sizes: wing 250 – 290 mm, tarsus 45 – 52 mm, bill 40-50 mm.

Biology

White-winged Scoter is rare breeding migrant. Inhabits forested mountain lakes at 1760-2300 m. Appears end May - early June. One nest found near water under bush, in a hollow amongst moss lined with down. Clutches of 6-9 eggs in June - July. Only female incubates and cares for juveniles, recorded end July - early September. Males gather to moult on large mountain lakes. Autumn departure in October.

References

"Птицы Казахстана" том 1. АН КазССР. Алма-Ата, 1960.
Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005
Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999.