First Report of Scoters (Melanitta spp.) along Eastern Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada

Abstract

In September of 2017 and 2018, we observed hundreds of scoters (Melanitta spp.) in fiords in Arctic Canada, approximately 1100 – 1800 km north of their previous northernmost observations. Given the remote locations and timing of observations, we do not know if these represent previously undiscovered areas where birds moult or new movements to Arctic locations. Moreover, the provenance of these sea ducks is unclear, as no evidence of movements to this region was indicated by large-scale satellite tracking of North American scoters during the last decade.