FIRST RECORD OF MELANITTA FUSCA IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA AND UPDATE ON NORTHEAST ASIAN RECORDS

Abstract

We report the first confirmed sighting of the globally Vulnerable Melanitta fusca (Anatidae, Anseriformes) from Yeongil Bay in Pohang in the Republic of Korea. Based on the review of the literature and published checklists of two separate databases (Birds Korea and eBird), we consider this to be the first record of M. fusca on the Korean Peninsula and only the third or fourth record of this species in coastal East Asia.

Keywords

• first record
• melanitta
• northeast asia
• korean peninsula
• vagrancy
• velvet scoter