Velvet Scoter

Velvet Scoter (Melanitta fusca) is a large dark sea duck; males show a white eye crescent and orange-marked bill, and both sexes have white wing patches. The combination of body shape, bill structure, plumage pattern and voice provides the most useful field characters. Age, sex and season can alter its appearance, so identification should use several features rather than colour alone. This supports comparison with similar species in the field (Wikipedia, general species account).

It breeds near northern lakes and winters on coasts, diving for molluscs and crustaceans in shallow seas. Its movements and social behaviour vary through the year, with breeding birds generally more dispersed and non-breeding birds more likely to gather where food is concentrated. Japanese records place it within the country's documented avifauna as a resident, migrant, visitor or introduced bird (Wikipedia, general species account; Wildlife of Japan occurrence records).