Skip to the content
Discovering Kwilakm
  • Discovering Kwilákm
  • About
  • Get Involved
  • Changing Climate
    • Hotter Ocean Temperatures
    • Changing Ocean Chemistry
    • Rising Sea Levels and Intensifying Winter Storms
    • When Seashore Temperatures Spike – Killer Heat Dome 2021
  • Terminal Creek
    • Where does Terminal Creek’s Water Come From?
    • Signal Crayfish
    • Terminal Creek Fish Hatchery
  • The Lagoon
    • The Tidal Inlet that became the Lagoon
    • Aquatic Plants
    • Chum Salmon
    • The Beaver
    • Canada Geese
    • Three-Spined Stickleback
  • Shores
    • Nearshore Forests
    • Beaches
    • The Terminal Creek Sand Flats
    • The Curious Clay Beds of Kwilákm
    • Blue Mussels
    • Clams
    • Purple Stars
    • Oysters in Kwilákm
  • Shallows
    • Eelgrass
    • Young Chum Salmon
    • Winter Bay Birds
    • Year-Round Bay Birds
  • Deeper Waters
    • Plankton
    • Northern Anchovy
    • Harbour Seal
    • Octopus
Conservancy logoBowen Island Conservancy
    • About
    • Get Involved
  • Discovering Kwilákm
    • About
    • Get Involved
  • Changing Climate
    • Hotter Ocean Temperatures
    • Changing Ocean Chemistry
    • Rising Sea Levels and Intensifying Winter Storms
    • When Seashore Temperatures Spike – Killer Heat Dome 2021
  • Terminal Creek
    • Where does Terminal Creek’s Water Come From?
    • Signal Crayfish
    • Terminal Creek Fish Hatchery
  • The Lagoon
    • The Tidal Inlet that became the Lagoon
    • Aquatic Plants
    • Chum Salmon
    • The Beaver
    • Canada Geese
    • Three-Spined Stickleback
  • Shores
    • Nearshore Forests
    • Beaches
    • The Terminal Creek Sand Flats
    • The Curious Clay Beds of Kwilákm
    • Blue Mussels
    • Clams
    • Purple Stars
    • Oysters in Kwilákm
  • Shallows
    • Eelgrass
    • Young Chum Salmon
    • Winter Bay Birds
    • Year-Round Bay Birds
  • Deeper Waters
    • Plankton
    • Northern Anchovy
    • Harbour Seal
    • Octopus

Photo: Alan Schmierer, Creative Commons

Shallows

Surf Scoter

(Melanitta perspicillata)

On this Page

  • Introduction
  • Explore Further
Discover Kwilakm » Story » Shallows » Surf Scoter
Surf Scoters on a wave
Photo: Mary Le Patourel

Surf scoters feed in large flocks close along the shore, right in the dangerous drag of the breakers. As the steep waves curl over, scoters scoot neatly beneath the roaring white lines of foam in search of mussels.

Bowen photographer Mary Le Patourel has spent hours observing surf scoters’ feeding technique: Surf scoters have discovered that the secret to breaking into densely packed carpets of mussel, their staple food, is to work as a team, employing a system of diving in long chains. The head of the lineup goes down and loosens the mussels, then the next ones go down and break up the shells and start to dine … then the third group comes in to clean up the high-grade. The ducks from the front of the line then go back to the end of the line and carry on the process, so everyone gets food.

After a winter of feasting off Bowen shores, our surf scoters fly inland in spring to nest on the borders of subarctic marshes. In the fall, parents lead their young to spend the winter on the coast.

Surf Scoters taking flight
Photo: Mary Le Patourel

How well are surf scoters doing in our waters? Twenty years of citizen science data, collected by the British Columbia Coastal Waterbird Survey, shows a decline in Salish Sea surf scoters of almost 2.25%/year between 1999 and 2019. This sharp loss is balanced by a 3.75% increase in the surf scoter population along BC’s outer Pacific Ocean coast.

Bird population numbers have become important indicators of both environmental success and environmental stress. The Lower Howe Sound Christmas Bird Count covers almost all islands at the mouth of the Sound, including Bowen.

The Christmas count is an opportunity for local birds. To find out more go to the Bowen Nature Club Website: https://bowennatureclub.blogspot.com

Cresting Surf Scoters
Photo: Mary Le Patourel

More About the Shallows

  • Shallows
  • Eelgrass
  • Young Chum Salmon
  • Winter Bay Birds
  • Barrow’s Goldeneye
  • Common Loon
  • Surf Scoter
  • Winter Bay Bird Conservation
  • Year-Round Bay Birds



Menu

  • About us
  • Our work
  • News/events
  • Contact us
  • Resources
  • Join us!

The Bowen Island Conservancy is a BC society and registered Canadian Charity.

Our charitable registration number is 867.261.299.RR001.

Mailing address: P.O. Box 301, Bowen Island, BC  V0N 1G0
Email address: info@bowenislandconservancy.org
Phone number: 604.612.6572

Please support our work

Donate Now Through CanadaHelps.org!

© 2023 Bowen Island Conservancy

Site map | Terms of use | Privacy policy

Go to top ↑ Up ↑