Sea Duck Information Series King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) French: Eider à tête grise

Description King eiders are a moderately large sea duck, weighing 1200-2100 g (2.6 – 4.6 lbs). Male king eiders are one of the most ornately plumaged ducks in North America. In breeding plumage (late fall through mid- summer), males sport a large orange- yellow knob between their bill and forehead. Their forehead, crown, and nape is pearl blue, with iridescent pale green cheeks and a reddish- orange bill. The lower portion of their head, neck, upper back, and breast is white with the remainder of the body black. The longest feathers along their upper flanks have triangular extensions that form a sail-like projection on their back. Female king eiders in breeding plumage are mostly dark reddish brown with extensive black barring Photo: USFWS along their sides and flanks. Their King Eiders in breeding plumage bill is olive or yellowish-gray and lacks the knob that the male has. In eastern North America, nest-building and egg laying within a King eiders migrate in large king eiders winter primarily at week of arrival. Females lay one egg undulating flocks and their wings sea along the coasts of Labrador per day and clutch size averages 4-5 whistle in flight. On the water, it’s and Newfoundland, with smaller eggs. Incubation lasts about 23 days. mostly the male that makes sounds, numbers south to Virginia and in the Ducklings can fly when about 50 days including a soft dovelike urrr urrr eastern Great Lakes. Some unknown old. urrr. Females make various growls portion of the eastern breeding Males depart breeding areas when in flight and growls and grunts on the population also winters along the females begin incubation. In western water when disturbed or threatened. coast of southwestern Greenland. Canada and Alaska, they migrate west along a broad front but become Range Habitat and Habits concentrated within a few km of shore Breeds in coastal areas of remote King eiders are long distance between Simpson Lagoon and Point high arctic regions, including travelers that migrate in flocks Barrow. Primary molting areas are the arctic coasts of Canada and sometimes numbering >10,000 birds. along the southern and eastern shores Alaska and nearly all islands in the They are highly gregarious and of the Chukotka Peninsula, Russia. Canadian arctic. In the western immense flocks (>50,000) congregate Most females follow males to molting Canadian arctic, the majority breed in Bristol Bay, Alaska during areas in the Bering Sea a few weeks on Banks and Victoria islands. spring migration. In western North later but a few molt near nesting King eiders winter in marine America, migration begins in April areas as well. environments. There are two and birds arrive on breeding areas by In eastern North America, male distinct wintering populations for mid-June. king eiders depart in July for molting birds breeding in North America, The entire western population, areas in Greenland. These birds one in the Atlantic and one in the including birds that winter in North depart molting areas in November Pacific. King eiders breeding roughly America and in Russia, migrates past and December to wintering areas from the Queen Maud Gulf area to Point Barrow, Alaska, on its way along ice-free coasts of southwest Melville Island may winter in either to breeding grounds in Alaska and Greenland. Most females follow the Pacific or Atlantic. Canada. They pass Point Barrow in males to molting areas a few weeks In western North America, late April and early May and passage later but a few may molt near nesting they winter mostly in the Bering is complete by late May. Estimates areas or in northeastern Canada. Sea south of St. Lawrence Island, of population size are based largely Females are believed to breed including the Aleutian Islands on counts of birds migrating past when three years old. Reliable eastward to mainland Alaska, with a this site. More than 110,000 have estimates of life span are lacking. few scattered localities further east. been estimated passing Point Barrow Principal nest predators are arctic fox, King eiders breeding in western during one 30-minute period. jaegers, and glaucous gulls. Survival North America also winter in eastern King eiders arrive paired on of adults is believed to be high. Russia south to the Kuril Islands. breeding grounds and females begin

Info sheet #9 of 15. March 2004 Population Size and Status Based on spring migration counts at Point Barrow, Alaska, the western North American population currently numbers 300,000-400,000 birds. This represents a decline of approximately 55% between 1976 and 1996. Causes of the decline are unknown. Estimates of the size of the eastern North American population are poor, but probably number 200,000-250,000 birds. Based largely on counts of birds molting or wintering in Greenland, it is likely the eastern population has declined as well.

Management and Conservation This is an important species in the subsistence harvest by rural Alaskans and Canadian aboriginals, with an estimated 20,000 taken annually. The level of harvest in Russia is unknown. Distribution of King Eider in North America Sport harvest throughout North America is low. corridors and habitats along the Duck Joint Venture Many eastern Canadian king Beaufort Sea coast where offshore Suydam, R. S. 2000. King Eider eiders winter in Greenland, where oil development is increasing and (Somateria spectabilis). In The they are harvested commercially and may pose a risk to migrating eiders. Birds of North America, No. 491. caught incidentally during fishing Satellite telemetry is also being used (A. Poole an F. Gill, eds.). The activities. Current levels of harvest to determine how many king eiders Birds of North America, Inc., may be unsustainable and recent breeding in eastern Canada winter Philadephia, PA. liberalization of harvest is a serious in Greenland and are subject to Woodby, D. A., and G. J. Divoky. cause for concern. commercial harvest there. 1982. Spring migration of eiders Breeding biology studies are being and other waterbirds at Point carried out in northern Alaska and Barrow, Alaska. Arctic 35: 403- the Canadian arctic. Examination 410. of stable isotopes in tissues of birds breeding in the central Canadian arctic will further determine where these birds winter.

References and Resources Dickson, D. L., R. C. Cotter, J. E. Mass starvation of adults during Hines, and M. F. Kay. 1997. spring migration occurs occasionally, Distribution and abundance of king due to lack of open water or adverse eiders in the western Canadian weather. An estimated 100,000 died Arctic. Pp. 29-39 in King and in the Beaufort Sea in 1964 because of Common eiders of the western these factors. These mass mortality Canadian arctic (D. L. Dickson, events may be a principal mechanism ed.). Can. Wildl. Serv. Occas. The Sea Duck Joint Venture is a for regulating population size. Pap. No. 94. Envoron. Canada, conservation partnership under the Recent research has used satellite Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa. North American Waterfowl telemetry to identify migration Seaduckjv.org – web site for the Sea Management Plan

To learn more about the Sea Duck Joint Venture (SDJV), visit seaduckjv.org or contact: SDJV Coordinator, U.S./West SDJV Coordinator, Canada/East U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Canadian Wildlife Service 1011 East Tudor Road 17 Waterfowl Lane, P.O. Box 6227 Anchorage, AK 99503 Sackville, New Brunswick E4L 1G6 (907) 786-3569 (506) 364-5013

Sea Duck Joint Venture Partners:

ATLANTIC FLYWAY COUNCIL