Basic Information
Scientific classification
- Chinese name: European-style duck
- Scientific name: Somateria mollissima, Common Eider
- Classification: Waterfowl
- Family and genus: Anseriformes, Anatidae, Eriocheir
Vital signs data
- Body length: 50-70 cm
- Weight: 1.2-2.8kg
- Lifespan: Approximately 18 years
Significant features
A large, plump, downy bird in the Anatidae family.
Distribution and Habitat
Countries of origin: Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macedonia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.
Migratory birds: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Portugal, Serbia, Turkey.
During the breeding season, they mainly inhabit forests and nearby rivers, lakes, estuaries, and open plateau waters. Outside the breeding season, they mainly inhabit large inland lakes, rivers, reservoirs, ponds, estuaries, and other freshwater areas, occasionally venturing into bays, estuaries, and coastal intertidal zones.
Appearance
The European Eider duck measures 50-70 cm in length, has a wingspan of 80-108 cm, weighs 1200-2800 g, and has a lifespan of 18 years. There are six subspecies of European Eider ducks, primarily distinguished by bill length and color. Males exhibit diverse color patterns, all possessing a distinctive green hue on their heads. The Pacific Eider duck, found in Alaska, northeastern Siberia, and northwestern Canada, can be differentiated from other species by its large size, bill shape, and the "V" shaped marking on the male's throat. The male's upper body is predominantly white, with a black crown, belly, and tail. It has a large, rounded body and a raised bill. In spring, male Eider ducks display striking black and white plumage. Sexes differ in appearance; females are mostly brown, somewhat resembling Muscovy ducks. Young males and females are not significantly different.
Detailed introduction
The Common Eider (scientific name: Somateria mollissima) has 6 subspecies.
The Eider duck is the largest sea duck, and some species exhibit migratory behavior. Like other eider ducks, this species is native to the far north. They breed on frozen coasts, as far south as the Netherlands and the Gulf of St. Lawrence; and winter in waters as far south as France, New England, and the Aleutian Islands.
Throughout the year, the Eurasian Eider feeds on invertebrates such as mollusks, worms, and crustaceans. It obtains most of its food from the seabed, so it prefers to swim in shallow waters along the edge of the continent.
Every late summer, when the Arctic islands are surrounded by water, Eider ducks begin nesting and breeding. Nests are typically built under driftwood or a clump of seaweed for shelter from the wind. The female uses a large amount of branches, leaves, grass, and seaweed to build the nest base, lining it with down. The nest is chosen in a secluded spot among rocks or vegetation. During the day, they forage at low tide, diving to depths of 10-18 meters, using their wings to paddle underwater and then flying straight out of the water. They can chew and crush the hard shells of seashells and their gizzards. A female Eider duck lays 1-10 eggs per clutch (averaging 5). Eggshell colors range from light olive oil, brownish olive oil, and greyish olive oil, and the eggs are 7.6 cm long. Surprisingly, the Eider duck's nesting area is very close to the nest of a type of gull that is not easy to get along with and is a predator of Eider duck eggs and chicks. The Eider duck likes to make friends with this gull precisely because it uses the gull's strength to drive away its more powerful enemies, such as skuas and Arctic foxes. This allows the gull to protect its own nesting area while also protecting the Eider duck from harm.
Eider ducks are monogamous, with the female incubating the eggs for 21-28 days. During this time, the female rarely leaves her nesting area, focusing entirely on reproduction. After hatching, the chicks are led by the female to the seashore, where they play and dive into the water to forage for food. Typically, several families of eider ducks will band together, living a communal life, much like a kindergarten. They begin to fly after 56 days, and by September, they are fully capable of taking flight, migrating westward to the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska to overwinter.
In Iceland, eider ducks are strictly protected. They are vulnerable to damage from oil stains, hunting of females for their valuable down, and overhunting in the Arctic Circle. These ducks are the source of down (the female plucks down from her breast to line the nest and cover the eggs when she leaves). Down is used as filling for coats, pillows, blankets, sleeping bags, and clothing; it is soft and insulating, with the soft down from females being the most famous. People have learned a better method than killing eider ducks for down: raiding 35-40 nests consecutively while young eider ducks are leaving their nests to quickly collect down. One pound of down can be collected from every 35-40 nests without affecting their breeding cycle.
Listed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013 ver 3.1.
Protect wild animals and ban the consumption of wild game.
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