Velvet Scoter Diet and Size: Feeding Habits, Predators, and Measurements
Velvet Scoters are winter visitors and passage migrants to the UK and are becoming a rare sight nowadays due to serious decrease in their population. They breed in areas of Scandinavia, Estonia, Siberia and kazakhstan. As well as Armenia, Georgia and parts of Turkey in small numbers.
In this article we’ll be taking a closer look into what velvet Scoters eat, their breeding habits, their size and weight as well as other interesting facts. Keep reading to find out more.
Table of Contents
The Dietary Habits Of The Velvet Scoter
Let’s start by looking at what Velvet Scoters eat and how they find their food. The Velvet Scoter feeds mainly by diving under water using its wings and webbed feet to propel itself deep under water.
When the Velvet Scoter dives it doesn’t need to jump to go deep, it uses its feet and wings to swim under water.
What Does A Velvet Scoter Eat?
Velvet Scoters eat a wide variety of aquatic creatures including; crabs, fish, shellfish, sea urchins, molluscs, insect larvae and their diet is supplemented with some plant material as well. Velvet Scoters dive deep underwater to find food often located on the sea bed.
They are known to dive deep underwater (up to 30 to 40 metres) even in the depths of winter.
What To Feed A Baby Velvet Scoter?
As the chicks are born precocial, Velvet Scoters don’t directly feed their young. The female leads the chicks to feeding areas and shows them how to find their own food.
Young Velvet Scoter chicks typically eat small fish and fish eggs, as well as aquatic invertebrates including; insects, larvae, crustaceans and molluscs. They will occasionally eat some aquatic vegetation too.
Breeding Habits Of Velvet Scoters
Although mainly silent birds, Velvet Scoters become far more vocal during the breeding season. With males making loud calls that sound like “vak-vak” with the females answering with harsh “Karr” sounds.
Pairs typically form during their migration to the breeding grounds. The males will lower their heads and arch their backs and then rush over the surface of the water for a short distance to attract potential mates.
Do Velvet Scoters Mate For Life?
Velvet Scoters don’t tend to mate for life, they rather remain monogamous for that particular breeding season. During migration a number of males will all court a single female.
Once they pair up, they become fairly territorial and the males will defend their nesting site from other birds of the same species as well as from intruders and would-be predators.
The following year, both partners will find new mates and remain loyal to them for that season.
The Size & Weight Of Velvet Scoters
Now let’s look into the size and weight of Velvet Scoters for identification purposes.
How Much Does A Velvet Scoter Weigh?
The average weight of an adult Velvet Scoter is anywhere between 1.1 to 2 kg. So an adult Velvet Scoter weighs somewhere between 1 and 2 bags of sugar.
How Big Is A Velvet Scoter?
Velvet Scoters are around 52 to 59 cm in length which is comparable to the length of a Buzzard. Velvet Scoters have a wingspan of around 90 to 99 cm which is similar to that of the Rook.
Velvet Scoters wings are mainly black or dark brown with a white patch on the rear of the wings which becomes easy to spot when the bird is in flight.
Are Velvet Scoters Under Threat?
Velvet Scoters are Red listed by the UK Birds of Conservation Concern. They are also listed as “vulnerable” by the Species of European Conservation Concern (SECC) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Their main threat is from oil spills and other marine pollutants especially during their moulting stage and during winter months. They are also under threat due to fishing nets, overfishing and the loss of their breeding habitat.
There has been a decrease of 57% in the numbers of Velvet Scoters wintering in the UK between 1996 to 2021.
What Eats A Velvet Scoter?
The main predators of velvet Scoters are mink, rats and birds like gulls and other predatory seabirds. Whilst out at sea, Velvet Scoters are relatively safe but become vulnerable during the breeding season.
Where Can I See Velvet Scoters In The UK?
Velvet Scoters do not breed in the UK but are frequent winter visitors along the east coast. They can often be seen along the eastern coasts of Scotland, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Northumbria and even as far south as the Suffolk coast.
They can also be spotted inland close to reservoirs, lakes and other inland bodies of water.
SEE ALSO: Temminck’s Stint Life Cycle: Nest Building To Fledging
Frequently Asked Questions
Velvet scoters tend to remain monogamous for one season. The following season both will mate with different partners forming season long monogamous relationships.
Velvet Scoters are around 52 to 59 cm in length which is comparable to the length of a Buzzard. Velvet Scoters have a wingspan of around 90 to 99 cm which is similar to that of the Rook.
As Velvet Scoters are precocial, the female doesn’t actually feed the chicks at all. She leads them to water and shows them where and how to catch their own food. They will eat small fish and fish eggs, as well as aquatic invertebrates including; insects, larvae, crustaceans and molluscs. They will occasionally eat some aquatic vegetation too.
