Macreuse noire
Photo : Stephan Sprinz · CC BY-SA 4.0

Macreuse noireQuebec wildlife

Melanitta nigra

Anatidae

No period published by Québec.ca

Québec.ca publishes no hunting or trapping period for this species. Check the official regulations.

Wikipedia

Macreuse noire

The common scoter (Melanitta nigra) is a large sea duck, 43–54 cm (17–21 in) in length, which breeds over the far north of Europe and the Palearctic east to the Olenyok River. The black scoter (M. americana) of North America and eastern Siberia was formerly considered to be a subspecies.

Description

The common scoter is characterised by its bulky shape and large bill. The male is all black with a bulbous bill which shows some yellow coloration around the nostrils. The female is a brown bird with pale cheeks, very similar to female black scoter. This species can be distinguished from other scoters, apart from black scoter, by the lack of white anywhere on the drake and the more extensive pale areas on the female. The black scoter and common scoter have diagnosably distinct vocalisations.

Text from WikipediaCommon scoter, revision 1348442753, CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-09-04. Encyclopedic text reused under CC BY-SA 4.0. Sentences about hunting or regulation are removed: on this site, the rule comes from Québec.ca.

Presence in Quebec

Origin
Indigène
Occurrence
Accidentel/non régulier
Population status
Migrateur
Certainty
Confirmé

Conservation

Provincial rankSNA — non applicable
Status (ESVA Act)Non suivie
JurisdictionEnvironnement et Changement climatique Canada

Québec.ca

Official periods

Source: Québec.ca — tables reproduced as published (retrieved 2026-08-30).

Québec.ca publishes no hunting or trapping period for this species. See the official regulations:

Regulations change. Always check Québec.ca before hunting or trapping.

Where this data comes from

This species is listed in an official government dataset. The identification and status shown in the data sheet are reproduced from it.

Source: List of Quebec’s vertebrate wildlife (LFVQ)Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs. File LFVQ_25_03_2026.csv, retrieved 2026-08-30 · CC BY 4.0.

Measurements, habitat, diet and reproduction are not shown: no official source is attached to them yet.