Polysticta stelleri
The Steller's Eider, *Polysticta stelleri*, is the smallest and arguably most agile of the eider species, distinguished by its vibrant plumage and unique foraging behaviors. Males are strikingly adorned with a pristine white head featuring an iridescent green patch behind the eye, a contrasting black eye-ring, a narrow black collar, and a rusty chestnut breast, while their back is black with prominent white wing patches visible in flight. Females are cryptically mottled brown, but share the d...
Steller's Eiders primarily inhabit coastal arctic and subarctic tundra during the breeding season, often nesting near freshwater ponds. In winter, they shift to marine coastal waters, favoring shallow, ice-free bays, lagoons, and rocky shores.
Their diet consists predominantly of marine invertebrates, including mollusks, crustaceans (especially amphipods), and insect larvae. They primarily forage by diving and dabbling in shallow coastal waters.
Steller's Eiders are primarily diurnal, dedicating significant time to foraging in shallow coastal waters. Their distinctive foraging strategy involves diving to depths of up to several meters, but they also frequently 'tip-up' or even 'paddle' on mudflats to stir up benthic invertebrates. During...
The Steller's Eider has a fragmented circumpolar distribution, with two primary populations: one in the Western Pacific (Siberia) and another in North America (Alaska). Breeding occurs along the arctic coasts of Siberia, from the Yamal Peninsula eastward to the Chukchi Peninsula, and historically...
Vulnerable
- The Steller's Eider is the smallest of all eider species, giving it a more agile flight and diving style than its larger relatives. - It is named after Georg Wilhelm Steller, a German naturalist who first described the species during the Great Northern Expedition in the 18th century. - Unlike m...