King Eider

Overview

King Eider: Large diving duck with black body and white breast, back. The crown and nape are pale blue; distinct bill is orange-red, sweeping upward into a large, orange basal knob outlined in black. Wings are black with large white patches visible in flight. Tail has white patches at the base.

Range and Habitat

King Eider: Breeds in the Canadian Arctic, Greenland, Alaska, and Siberia. On the Atlantic coast, spends winters south to Massachusetts but rarely beyond. Preferred habitats are rocky coasts and open ocean; nests on inland freshwater lakes and ponds.

INTERESTING FACTS

The King Eider was first described in 1758 by Carolus Linnaeus, Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist. They often dive far for food and have been caught in nets as deep as 150 feet below the surface. When an intruder is present, the female sits low on the nest with her head flattened on the ground. She sits tightly on the eggs and sometimes can be touched or picked up off of the nest. A group of ducks has many collective nouns, including a "brace", "flush", "paddling", "raft", and "team" of ducks