Steller's Eider

Overview

Steller's Eider: Small eider with black back and collar, white sides, buff-brown underparts with small but distinct black spot on side. White head has a dark tuft, black eye patch and chin. Wings are white with black primaries and a white-bordered blue speculum. Blue-gray bill, legs and feet.

Range and Habitat

Steller's Eider: Breeds on northern and western coasts of Alaska. Spends winters on southern coast of Alaska and Aleutians. Frequents arctic coastal areas; nests on tundra near small ponds.

INTERESTING FACTS

The Steller's Eider was first described in 1769 by Peter Simon Pallas, a German zoologist and botanist who worked in Russia. It is named after the German naturalist Georg Steller. It spends the winter in large flocks, which dive synchronously and may create a spray as they dive and then surface in unison. This is the smallest eider. It is found primarily close to shore in winter, unlike other eider species. A group of ducks has many collective nouns, including a "brace", "flush", "paddling", "raft", and "team" of ducks.