Stats

Lifespan: 10-20 yrs
Size: Medium
Diet: Carnivore
Activity: Diurnal
Social: Flock
Biome: Arctic tundra
Range: Arctic
Movement: Flight
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Camouflage
Status: Vulnerable

About

Steller's eiders are small, fast-flying ducks that breed along the coasts of Russia and Alaska, and in the Baltic Sea. Their feathers are so waterproof that they can withstand temperatures as low as -110 degrees Fahrenheit, and they can dive up to 20 feet deep.

Life cycle

1.
egg
A clutch of eggs rests in a down-lined nest near water, covered and warmed by the brooding female.
2.
hatchling
A downy hatchling follows its mother to the water within hours and feeds itself almost immediately.
3.
juvenile
A juvenile grows its first true feathers, swimming in the family group and learning to dabble or dive.
4.
adult
Fully grown with adult plumage.

Learn more

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Polysticta
Species: Polysticta stelleri