The king eider is likely the most abundant eider species in the world, and with the male's spectacular breeding plumage and the female's more cryptic camouflage, these sea ducks are always a treat to see.

Common Name: King Eider, Queen Eider (females)

Scientific Name: Somateria spectabilis

Scientific Family: Anatidae

Appearance:

• Bill: Large, spatulate, orange-red with a paler nail and large orange knob outlined in black at the base for males, black and lacking the basal knob for females, though both genders show an upturned gape that gives the bird a smiling expression

• Size: 18-25 inches long with 35-40-inch wingspan, large square head, short tail, stocky build
• Colors: Brown, black, white, buff, blue-gray, sea green, yellow, orange, pink
• Markings: Dimorphic species. Males have a white back and pale breast that may show a faint pink, buff or orange wash. The crown and hindneck are pale blue, and the cheeks are pale green. The black body shows a white hip patch, and there is a white patch on the wings that is not always visible when the wings are folded. Breeding males show short, sharply pointed triangular "sail" feathers extending slightly above the back, one on either side. In non-breeding plumage, males are much more camouflaged with dark black-brown coloration, a pale tan or buff eye line, mottled breast and orange bill. Females are mottled black and brown, with paler coloration and finer markings on the breast and darker tones at the rump and tail. Females are also slightly smaller and lighter weight than males, but they do not change coloration throughout the year. For both genders, the eyes are dark and the legs and feet vary from yellow to darker olive-brown.
  
  Juvenile birds are similar to adult females, but will gradually attain their adult coloration within 2-3 years. Before they are mature, their overall colors are darker than adults.

Foods: Mollusks, crustaceans, larvae, aquatic insects, algae (See: Molluscivorous)

Habitat and Migration:

These hardy sea ducks have a circumpolar range and are found in high Arctic habitats including tundra, inland bodies of water and rocky coastal bays and shorelines that include extensive reefs. Their breeding range extends from Alaska and Canada to Russia, and in the non-breeding season, they venture slightly further south along suitable coastlines, extending as far south in North America as southern California in the west and Virginia in the east, though such southerly sightings are rare. They may be seen along the Great Lakes and are somewhat regularly reported wintering at Lake Ontario, and they will also winter along the coasts of Iceland, western Greenland and northern Scandinavia.

Rare vagrant sightings have been recorded much deeper inland and further south than expected.

Vocalizations:

These ducks have a very low-pitched voice and use a variety of hoots, coos and croaks in their vocalizations, particularly during the courtship and breeding seasons. Their wings also whistle slightly in flight.

Behavior:

These birds are strongly gregarious and gather in tremendous flocks that can number greater than 10,000 during spring migration and can exceed 100,000 during winter. When feeding, these ducks are agile divers and can swim up to 180 feet below the surface searching for prey, though they also occasionally dabble in shallow water. In flight, they stay low over the water's surface and a flock will bunch together at the front rather than spread out behind one another. Their wing beats are rapid, and the flight path is generally direct.

Reproduction:

These are monogamous ducks that mate after males attract females with courtship displays that include rearing out of the water, flapping wings and rapidly moving the head. After the mating, however, the male has very little involvement with breeding, and it is the female who digs a shallow scrape nest and lines it with vegetation and down.

The eggs are olive or buff in color, and there may be 3-7 in each brood. The female parent incubates the eggs for 22-24 days, and will guide the precocial hatchlings for 30-50 days until they are ready for their first flight. Only one brood is hatched each year.

King eiders occasionally hybridize with common eiders.

Attracting King Eiders:

Because of their extreme northern range, these are not backyard birds. Preserving appropriate rocky coastal habitat can help attract them in winter, however, giving birders good opportunities to add these stunning ducks to their life list.

Conservation:

The king eider is not considered threatened or endangered, though it can be difficult to monitor overall population numbers or trends because of the bird's remote, isolated range. Some declines have been noted in winter populations, but changes have not yet been severe enough to warrant strong conservation measures. These ducks can be vulnerable to pollution that contaminates their habitat, such as oil spills.

Similar Birds:

• Spectacled Eider (Somateria fischeri)
• Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)
• Steller's Eider (Polysticta stelleri)

Photo – King Eider – Male in Breeding Plumage © Ron Knight
Photo – King Eider – Female © Lee Hunter