King Eider
Image: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fiorellino" title="User:Fiorellino">Olaf Oliviero Riemer</a> (CC BY-SA 3.0)
NameKing Eider
Common NameKing Eider
Scientific NameSomateria spectabilis
FamilyAnatidae
Wingspan (cm)90
Length (cm)60
Weight (g)1800
Plumage DetailsAdult males have a pale blue-gray head with a prominent orange-yellow frontal shield on the bill, bordered by black. The body is largely black, with a white breast, a white patch on the back, and white wing patches. Females are mottled brown with a smaller bill shield.
Vocalization / CallMales produce a soft, cooing 'hoo-hoo-hooo' sound, particularly during courtship. Females have a harsher, guttural 'karr-karr-karr' call.
Primary Dietcarnivore
Primary Habitatsarctic coastal waters, tundra, rocky coasts
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeCircumpolar Arctic, breeding on tundra ponds and coasts, and wintering in ice-free coastal waters of the North Atlantic and North Pacific.
Identifying FeaturesMale's distinctive pale blue-gray head, Large orange-yellow frontal shield on bill (male), Red bill tip (male), Black body with white breast and back patch (male), Heavy-bodied sea duck
Description
The King Eider is a large sea duck known for its distinctive appearance, especially the male with its colorful head and bill. These birds are strong divers, foraging for marine invertebrates in cold Arctic waters.
