Steller's Eider
The Steller's Eider is a medium sized sea duck and the smallest of the 4 species of eider. In it’s breeding plumage, the male is unmistakable with a black back, white shoulders, chestnut breast and belly, a white head with a greenish tuft and small black eye patches. During the late summer and autumn, males are entirely mottled dark brown. Females and juveniles are mottled dark brown all year round. Adults of both sexes have a blue patch with a white border on the upper wing similar to a mallard.
The bird is named after the German naturalist Georg Steller.
Steller's Eiders breed along the Arctic coasts of northern Russia and northern and western Alaska. It is estimated that the world population of Steller's Eiders is around 220,000 birds, the majority of which nest in Russia. Most Steller's Eiders breeding in Alaska and Russia migrate south after breeding. An estimated 40,000 winter in north eastern Europe along the coasts of Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Norway and Sweden. It is very scarce south of its wintering range.
Date: 13th April 2010
Location: Svartnes, Varanger peninsula, Finnmark, Norway
The bird is named after the German naturalist Georg Steller.
Steller's Eiders breed along the Arctic coasts of northern Russia and northern and western Alaska. It is estimated that the world population of Steller's Eiders is around 220,000 birds, the majority of which nest in Russia. Most Steller's Eiders breeding in Alaska and Russia migrate south after breeding. An estimated 40,000 winter in north eastern Europe along the coasts of Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Norway and Sweden. It is very scarce south of its wintering range.
Date: 13th April 2010
Location: Svartnes, Varanger peninsula, Finnmark, Norway
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Also in: Norway
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