Eider
The Eider is the UK's heaviest duck and its fastest flying. The male is unmistakable with its black and white plumage and green nape. The female is a brown bird but can still be readily distinguished from all ducks, except other eider species, on the basis of size and head shape. The Eider is often readily approachable.
Eiders are true sea ducks and are rarely found away from coasts where they dive for crustaceans and molluscs, with mussels being a favoured food. They are highly gregarious and usually stay close inshore where they can be seen in sheltered bays or strung out in long lines out beyond the breaking waves.
The Eider can be found all year round in its breeding areas from the Northumberland coast northwards and off the north and west coast of Scotland where it nests colonially. They are found in the same areas in autumn and winter and also further south on the Yorkshire coast and around the east and south coast as far as Cornwall.
A particularly famous colony of Eiders lives around the Farne Islands in Northumberland. These birds were the subject of one of the first ever bird protection laws, established by Saint Cuthbert in the year 676. About 1,000 pairs still nest there every year. Because St. Cuthbert is the patron saint of Northumberland, it was natural that the Eider should be chosen as the county's emblem bird and the birds are still often called Cuddy's ducks in the area, "Cuddy" being the familiar form of Cuthbert.
Date: 12th June 2014
Location: Inner Farne, Farne Islands, Northumberland
Eiders are true sea ducks and are rarely found away from coasts where they dive for crustaceans and molluscs, with mussels being a favoured food. They are highly gregarious and usually stay close inshore where they can be seen in sheltered bays or strung out in long lines out beyond the breaking waves.
The Eider can be found all year round in its breeding areas from the Northumberland coast northwards and off the north and west coast of Scotland where it nests colonially. They are found in the same areas in autumn and winter and also further south on the Yorkshire coast and around the east and south coast as far as Cornwall.
A particularly famous colony of Eiders lives around the Farne Islands in Northumberland. These birds were the subject of one of the first ever bird protection laws, established by Saint Cuthbert in the year 676. About 1,000 pairs still nest there every year. Because St. Cuthbert is the patron saint of Northumberland, it was natural that the Eider should be chosen as the county's emblem bird and the birds are still often called Cuddy's ducks in the area, "Cuddy" being the familiar form of Cuthbert.
Date: 12th June 2014
Location: Inner Farne, Farne Islands, Northumberland
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Also in: Diving ducks
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