Stats

Lifespan: 10-20 yrs
Size: Large
Diet: Carnivore
Activity: Diurnal
Social: Flock
Biome: Coastal marine
Range: Northern Hemisphere
Movement: Flight
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Camouflage
Status: Near Threatened

About

The Common Eider is the world's largest sea duck, found along arctic and subarctic coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. It is famous for the exceptionally soft down feathers the female plucks from her breast to insulate the nest — harvested sustainably by communities in Iceland for centuries.

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: Somateria
Species: Somateria mollissima