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Surf Scoters were uncommon in northern Saskatchewan with reports from only 37 atlas squares. An expedition down the Porcupine River in the far north revealed the only confirmed breeding record for the Atlas, where a hen was observed with 2 ducklings in tow on a small 5.5 hectare lake on 27 June 2019. The two southmost records came from the southern end of Reindeer Lake, one near the town of Southend and the other at Nordic Lodge. Surf Scoter sightings were mostly made in the far north near the border with the Northwest Territories.

Note: During all years of the Saskatchewan Breeding Bird Atlas drought conditions persisted and the Atlas range maps for all waterfowl, waterbirds, and wetland-associated species should be viewed as characteristic of distribution and abundance during dry conditions. Read the full drought statement here.

Excerpts Adapted from the Birds of Saskatchewan:

An adult Surf Scoter in breeding plumage is rarely seen in settled Saskatchewan, because its nesting grounds are in the remote north and most of the migration is coastal. It is a fairly common fall migrant through central and southeastern regions of the province, most of the sightings being of young birds. Surf Scoters breed across the northern portions of the boreal forest from Alaska to the Ungava Peninsula and winter along both coasts of North America.

In the northern breeding grounds Surf Scoter occur on ponds and other small water bodies (Nero 1963a, Secoy and Maw 1982). In fall migration, it has been observed on about 30 different large lakes and on the Saskatchewan and South Saskatchewan Rivers (SBDB), with observer effort concentrated at Blackstrap Reservoir and the Regina Beach area of Last Mountain Lake.

As a breeding bird the Surf Scoter is fairly common in northern Saskatchewan south to Kazan and Jan Lakes (Smith 1996). In central and southeastern Saskatchewan, it is a rare spring migrant but fairly common in fall; curiously, there is only a single record from southwest Saskatchewan 14 Oct 2007 Hazlet RP (Al Hartley SBDB). Smith (1996) suggested that at least some of the breeding population is headed for the Atlantic-Great Lakes wintering grounds, but radio-telemetry studies show that some birds that summer in Saskatchewan winter on the Pacific Coast.

Original text by Alan R. Smith. Text adapted by Daniel J. Sawatzky

Read more about the Surf Scoter in the Birds of Saskatchewan here.

LeeAnn M. Latremouille

Recommended citation: Latremouille, L. M. 2025. Surf Scoter in Latremouille, L. M., S. L. Van Wilgenburg, C. B. Jardine, D. Lepage, A. R. Couturier, D. Evans, D. Iles, and K. L. Drake (eds.). 2025. The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Saskatchewan, 2017-2021. Birds Canada. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan https://sk.birdatlas.ca/accounts/speciesaccount.jsp?sp=SUSC&lang=en [09 Nov 2025]