scoter Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun large black diving duck of northern parts of the northern hemisphere
scooter.

Cf. Prov. E. scote to plow up.

(Zoöl.) Any one of several species of northern sea ducks of the genus Oidemia. ✍ The European scoters are Oidemia nigra, called also black duck, black diver, surf duck; and the velvet, or double, scoter (O. fusca). The common American species are the velvet, or white-winged, scoter (O. Deglandi), called also velvet duck, white-wing, bull coot, white-winged coot; the black scoter (O. Americana), called also black coot, butterbill, coppernose; and the surf scoter, or surf duck (O. perspicillata), called also baldpate, skunkhead, horsehead, patchhead, pishaug, and spectacled coot. These birds are collectively called also coots. The females and young are called gray coots, and brown coots.