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2

Common Eider

(Somateria mollissima)
Alternate name(s): "Eider"
German name(s): "Eiderente"

Size: 50-70 cm; wing span 0.95-1.05 m
Weight: 0.8-3.0 kg
Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Common Eider at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "mollissima"

ADULT

MALE

BREEDING

Lateral view of a male Common Eider in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]

Lateral view of a male Common Eider in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]

NON-BREEDING

Resting Common Eider, with two males in non-breeding plumage on the left (photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Skagen, Jütland, Denmark, September 2019]

Resting Common Eider; males in non-breeding plumage have greyish patches (photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Skagen, Jütland, Denmark, September 2019]

FEMALE

Small group of Common Eider ducks, mostly in breeding plumage, with two females at the centre
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]

Resting Common Eider; females seen from behind show two characteristic white wing bars (photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Skagen, Jütland, Denmark, September 2019]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Common Eider duck (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Mar - Jun(?) Eggs: 3 - 5 Incubation period: 24 - 26 days Fledging age: 30 - 50 days

Common Eiders are colonial breeders that return to the island where they themselves hatched. They have a single brood per season and sometimes up to 8 eggs are laid. Females will also nest communally and share incubation duties. They also form creches with their ducklings to share tending to their offspring. Common Eider ducklings are precocial, i.e. they leave the nest as soon as they are dry after hatching.

Nest

Type: Scrape Material: Plant material, down lining Height above ground: N/A

Female Common Eider on its nest; they appear to make use of the presence of humans by nesting near walking tracks in an attempt to deter nest robbers (photo courtesy of M. A. Pears)
[Farne Islands, off the North-east coast of England, April 2014]

Eggs

Size: 77 x 51 mm Colour: Olive to greenish Shape: Ellipsoidal

Behaviour

Covey of Common Eider ducks arriving for hunting as a collective (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]

Common Eider ducks forming a pack for collective hunting (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]

Dorsal view of a departing covey of Common Eider ducks (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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