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Eider Somateria mollissima [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Anseriformes
Family:
Anatidae
BTO Codes:
E. , EIDER
EURING No:
2060
Number in Britain:
31 thousand pairs (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK:
AMBER
European:
Not a species of concern
Global:
Least Concern
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Status in UK:
(A) Resident Breeder, Winter Visitor
Subspecies:
mollissima (RW), borealis (V) recorded in Britain (of 6 subsp. in the world)
.
Length:
60 cm
Wingspan:
94 cm
Weight:
M/F: 2.2 kg
Scientific name from:
Gr.: soma =body + erion =wool
and L.: mollissima =very soft (from mollis =soft)
World Distribution:
BREEDS: n Europe & Siberia & n North America, WINTERS: south to s Europe & s US
Habitat:
Tundra ponds, lakes, seacoasts
Diet:
Molluscs or slow moving crustaceans on sea-bed, by diving or up-ending
TitBit:
Collection of down (small body feathers used to line the nest), recorded as far back as the 14th Century, almost lead to the Eider's extinction in the 19th Century
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
No population trend available
Distribution:
New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Summer:
31 thousand pairs
in 1988-91
Winter:
73 thousand individuals
in 1990-99
First Record:
7th Century
[Fossil evidence from
Ipswichian (last) interglacial, c. 125,000 yr ago]
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
No habitat data from BBS
European Population Size:
Summer:
820 thousand to 1.2 million pairs
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
WBD(II*,III*), Bern(III), Bonn(II), AEWA
Survey Results:
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
77 x 52 mm
Egg Weight:
110.0 g (of which 8 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
588
Clutch Size:
4 - 6 eggs
Incubation:
25 - 28 days
by the:
Female
Fledging:
65 - 75 days
as:
Precocial, downy
First Clutches Laid:
Unavailable
Number of Broods:
1
Number Ringed:
141
Adult Survival:
0.936
Juvenile Survival:
No data
Age at First Breeding:
3
years
Typical Lifespan:
18
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
35yr6m
Biometrics
Ring Size:
H*
Wing Length
Adult:
290.2 ± 14.9
Range
267 - 312 mm, N =62
Juvenile:
Insufficient Data.
Male:
301.4 ± 9.1
287 - 313 mm, N =22
Female:
284.0 ± 13.8
255.5 - 298.5 mm, N =40
Weight
Adult:
2.13 ± 0.20
Range
1.83 - 2.35 kg , N =22
Juvenile:
Insufficient Data.
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Common Eider
Gaelic:
Colc
Welsh:
Hwyaden Fwythblu
Danish:
Ederfugl
Dutch:
Eider
Finnish:
Haahka
French:
Eider à duvet
German:
Eiderente
Hungarian:
Pehelyréce
Icelandic:
Æður
Irish:
Éadar
Italian:
Edredone
Norwegian:
Ærfugl
Polish:
Edredon zwyczajny
Portuguese:
Eider-edredão
Spanish:
Eider
Swedish:
Ejder
Local Names: Dunter
Collective Noun: Raft
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Driver, P. 1974 In search of the eider Saturn Press, London
[598.482 DRI]
Kear, J 2005 Ducks, geese and swans Oxford University Press
[598.48 KEA]
See Also:
All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
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