male	male female European distribution male

Identification

The male Eider can be identified at any range as he is the only British duck which is whitish at the front and on his back. The female, however, is dull brown, not unlike a Mallard, but can be identified by her bulky size, heavy body and a curiously triangular head shape due to the long gentle slope from the top of the head to the tip of the big beak. Immature males go through a bewildering variety of mostly black and white plumages but can still be identified by their bulk and unique head shape. In flight, the males show characteristic black and white bits and the females resemble big, fat, dark Mallards.

Habitat

Breeds on rocky islands and coasts, also by estuaries, sea and freshwater lochs. Winters out to sea and around rocky shores.

Behaviour

Eiders are famous for the density and warmth of their breast feathers which they use to line their nests. In places these feathers are still collected commercially to be used as Eider down in mattresses or sleeping bags. The sitting females can be so determined not to be budged from their nest they may have to be lifted off by the harvesters. If the female does leave the nest she will usually spread some of the down over the eggs, not so much to keep them warm but to hide them from predators.

Migration

Generally, most birds are reasonably sedentary, but move south after breeding. Northern populations are only summer visitors to their breeding grounds. Some migrate inland to the large lakes just north of the Alps where the population has risen to over 600 birds following the colonisation of these waters by the Zebra mussel. Birds breeding around the Baltic moult to the Waddensee area to moult in huge concentrations.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Eider is classed as Local: generally fairly regular or common species that a 'county lister' or a birding beginner might be interested in going to see. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Canna, Highland 13/08/2010	Isle of May, Fife 15/05/2010	Isle of May, Fife 20/05/2010	Isle of May, Fife 15/05/2010	Warkworth, Northumbs 18/08/2010
Filey, N Yorks 26/07/2010	Filey, N Yorks 26/07/2010	Farne Is., Northumbs 16/06/2010	Farne Is., Northumbs 15/06/2010	Seahouses, Northumbs 08/06/2010

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Eider breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Britain
Denmark
Estonia
Faroe Islands
Finland
France
Germany
Greenland
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Russia
Svalbard
Sweden
Switzerland
Ukraine

http://www.avibirds.com/euhtml/Eider.html   Avibirds: Eider	Edit this link
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http://blx1.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob2060.htm   BTO BirdFacts: Eider	Edit this link
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