The white secondaries of the white-winged scoter in all plumages form a conspicuous square wing patch during flight but are often hidden during rest. Other than the secondaries, males' plumage is entirely black except for a small white teardrop around each eye.

Females and immatures are dark brown above and pale below with diffuse white patches in front of and behind the eyes. A black knob graces the males' swollen, white-ridged, orange bills, while females' and immatures' bills are dark; the feathering of all extends almost to the nostril.

Abundant along the coast from fall through spring, white-winged scoters are uncommon during summer on the ocean and inshore marine waters.

Hear the call of the white-winged scoter

Photo from ODFW