When A. H. Howell’s BIRDS OF ALABAMA was written, over 30 years ago, only the Surf Scoter was known in Alabama. More recently there have been good coastal sight records for all three scoter species, the Common or American Scoter, the Surf Scoter and the White-winged Scoter, but the only interior scoter records come from Wheeler reservoir. The permanent bird files of the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, kept for 20 years, show three records of the White-winged Scoter in the Decatur locality.