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MarinePlatform nestHuge · 1.6 kg
ID tip
The king eider is a large sea duck, measuring 50–70 cm (20–28 in) in length with a wingspan of 86–102 cm (34–40 in). Males are, on average, heavier than females, with a mean weight of 1.668 kg (3.68 lb) for males and 1.567 kg (3.45 lb) for females. An individual bird's mass can vary considerably from season to season—from as little as 0.9 kg (2.0 lb) to as much as 2.2 kg (4.9 lb). Like all eiders, the species is sexually dimorphic; the male is slightly larger and, in breeding plumage, much more colourful than the female. Voice: The male's song is a quavering, dove-like cooing, transcribed as croo-croo-croo or hoo-hoo-hooo. The female makes a variety of low clucks, grunts and growls.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the King Eider
One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 10 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is June, the month with the most records.
Where to see the King Eider
The map shades 17 countries with regular records, and 6 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
Recorded as a rare visitor in France, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Latvia.
About the King Eider
The king eider is a large sea duck that breeds along Northern Hemisphere Arctic coasts of northeast Europe, North America and Asia. The birds spend most of the year in coastal marine ecosystems at high latitudes, and migrate to Arctic tundra to breed in June and July. They lay four to seven eggs in a scrape on the ground lined with grass and down.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Spectacled EiderSomateria fischeriThe spectacled eider is a large sea duck that breeds on the coasts of Alaska and northeastern Siberia.
Common EiderSomateria mollissimaThe common eider is the largest of the four eider species, measuring 50 to 71 cm (19+1⁄2 to 28 in) in length, weighs 0.81 to 3.04 kg (1 lb 12+1⁄2 oz to 6 lb 11 oz) and spans 80–110 cm (31–43 in) across the wings.
Side by side: Common Eider vs King Eider
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