North American populations of breeding surf scoters and long-tailed ducks appear to be decreasing. Along the Atlantic coast, wintering populations of surf scoters are suspected to be decreasing, while the status of wintering populations of long-tailed ducks remains unknown. These trends have led conservation organizations to assign a "high" relative conservation priority to both species.
Time series from 2009 deployments in northern Alaska
The animated map depicts weekly locations of satellite tagged Spectacled Eiders and sea ice distribution.
ABSTRACT.-The at-sea distribution of the threatened Spectacled Eider (Somateria fischeri) has
remained largely undocumented. We identified migration corridors, staging and molting areas, and
wintering areas of adult Spectacled Eiders using implanted satellite transmitters in birds from
each of the three extant breeding grounds (North Slope and Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in Alaska and
arctic Russia). Based on transmitter locations, we conducted aerial sur veys to provide visual
The Centre for Wildlife Ecology has several studies underway that address conservation issues affecting sea ducks along the Pacific coast. The issues, species, and populations being studied are shared concerns of the Centre for Wildlife Ecology, the Canadian Wildlife Service, and agency and academic collaborators throughout North America.
Sea duck Bibliography as compiled by Dan Esler
The Atlantic Seaduck Project is being conducted to learn more about the breeding and molting areas of seaducks in northern Canada and more about the feeding ecology of seaducks on wintering areas, especially Chesapeake Bay. Satellite telemetry is being used to track surf scoters wintering in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, and black scoters on migrational staging areas in New Brunswick, Canada, to breeding and molting areas in northern Canada