Somateria mollissima
The Common Eider, *Somateria mollissima*, is the largest duck in the Northern Hemisphere and a striking inhabitant of cold, coastal waters. Males are instantly recognizable with their dazzling white backs, black bellies, black caps, and distinctive green nape patches contrasting with a rosy pink wash on the chest during breeding season, measuring an impressive 50-71 cm (20-28 in) in length with a wingspan of 90-110 cm (35-43 in) and weighing 1.8-2.6 kg (4-5.7 lbs). Females are cryptically mot...
Found primarily in coastal marine environments, inhabiting rocky shores, offshore islands, and tidal estuaries, particularly in arctic and subarctic regions, typically at sea level.
Primarily consumes mollusks, such as mussels and clams, crustaceans like crabs and sea urchins, and occasionally small fish, obtained by diving to the seafloor.
Common Eiders are highly social, especially outside the breeding season, forming immense rafts on the water. They are diurnal, spending much of their day diving for food, often remaining submerged for 30-60 seconds, reaching depths of up to 20 meters. During courtship, males engage in an elaborat...
The Common Eider boasts a circumpolar distribution, breeding across the Arctic and subarctic coasts of North America, Europe, and Asia. In North America, breeding populations extend from Alaska across the Canadian Arctic, Greenland, and into the Atlantic provinces, with the subspecies *S. m. dres...
Least Concern
- The female Common Eider plucks soft down from her own breast to line her nest, providing exceptional insulation for her eggs; this 'eiderdown' is highly prized for filling duvets and clothing. - They are exceptional divers, regularly reaching depths of 20 meters (65 feet) and can hold their bre...