Eiders
The Eider is a large sea duck that is distributed over the northern coasts of Europe, north America and eastern Siberia. It breeds in the Arctic and some northern temperate regions but winters somewhat further south in temperate zones when it can form large flocks on coastal waters.
The Eider is both the largest of the 4 eider species and the largest duck found in Europe and in north America (except for the Muscovy duck which only reaches north America in a wild state in southernmost Texas and south Florida).
The Eider is characterized by its bulky shape and large, wedge-shaped bill. 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 drake's display call is a strange almost human-like "ah-ooo" while the duck utters hoarse quacks.
The Eider dives for crustaceans and molluscs, with mussels being a favoured food. The Eider will eat mussels by swallowing them whole. The shells are then crushed in their gizzard and excreted. When eating a crab, the Eider will remove all of its claws and legs and then eat the body in a similar fashion.
The Eider is abundant with populations of about 1.5 to 2 million birds in both Europe and north America and also large but unknown numbers in eastern Siberia.
The Eider is a colonial breeder nesting on coastal islands in colonies ranging in size of less than 100 to upwards of 10,000 to 15,000 individuals. Female Eiders frequently exhibit a high degree of natal philopatry where they return to breed on the same island where they were hatched. This can lead to a high degree of relatedness between individuals nesting on the same island as well as the development of kin-based female social structures. This relatedness has likely played a role in the evolution of co-operative breeding behaviours amongst Eiders. Examples of these behaviours include laying eggs in the nests of related individuals and crèching where female Eiders team up and share the work of rearing ducklings.
The Eider's nest is built close to the sea and is lined with the celebrated eiderdown plucked from the female's breast. This soft and warm lining has long been harvested for filling pillows and quilts but in more recent years has been largely replaced by down from domestic farm geese and synthetic alternatives. Although eiderdown pillows or quilts are now a rarity, eiderdown harvesting continues and is sustainable as it can be done after the ducklings leave the nest with no harm to the birds.
Date: 1st July 2019
Location: Munkefjord, Troms og Finnmark, Norway
The Eider is both the largest of the 4 eider species and the largest duck found in Europe and in north America (except for the Muscovy duck which only reaches north America in a wild state in southernmost Texas and south Florida).
The Eider is characterized by its bulky shape and large, wedge-shaped bill. 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 drake's display call is a strange almost human-like "ah-ooo" while the duck utters hoarse quacks.
The Eider dives for crustaceans and molluscs, with mussels being a favoured food. The Eider will eat mussels by swallowing them whole. The shells are then crushed in their gizzard and excreted. When eating a crab, the Eider will remove all of its claws and legs and then eat the body in a similar fashion.
The Eider is abundant with populations of about 1.5 to 2 million birds in both Europe and north America and also large but unknown numbers in eastern Siberia.
The Eider is a colonial breeder nesting on coastal islands in colonies ranging in size of less than 100 to upwards of 10,000 to 15,000 individuals. Female Eiders frequently exhibit a high degree of natal philopatry where they return to breed on the same island where they were hatched. This can lead to a high degree of relatedness between individuals nesting on the same island as well as the development of kin-based female social structures. This relatedness has likely played a role in the evolution of co-operative breeding behaviours amongst Eiders. Examples of these behaviours include laying eggs in the nests of related individuals and crèching where female Eiders team up and share the work of rearing ducklings.
The Eider's nest is built close to the sea and is lined with the celebrated eiderdown plucked from the female's breast. This soft and warm lining has long been harvested for filling pillows and quilts but in more recent years has been largely replaced by down from domestic farm geese and synthetic alternatives. Although eiderdown pillows or quilts are now a rarity, eiderdown harvesting continues and is sustainable as it can be done after the ducklings leave the nest with no harm to the birds.
Date: 1st July 2019
Location: Munkefjord, Troms og Finnmark, Norway
|
Also in: North Norway
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |