Specie's Page                                               Water Fowl - Common Eider Duck

Common Eider Duck:   UK Status: Resident around the North coasts of Britain from Lancashire and Yorkshire northwards. Also found around southern coast lines during the non breeding season.

Habitat: This duck prefers to be on the coast, and is rarely seen inland. They feed mainly on shell fish, bringing them into conflict with mussel farmers. Eiders are very sociable birds, and are often seen in groups together.

Breeding: This duck nests in secluded coastal areas that include rocky islands, and open tree less tundra. Nests are made in a hollow in the ground, and built with local vegetation, and of course lined with eider down. There are about four to six eggs normally in a clutch, eggs are of a dull off white colour, and hatch after about four weeks.

Comment: The male (not pictured) is a very noticeable mainly black and white bird. Females are brown in colour, and when in moult are very drab looking, as are juvenile birds. Eiders are the UK's heaviest, and fastest flying ducks, often seen in the sea, bobbing up and down on the waves just offshore. Eider down feathers were used for centuries to fill pillows and quilts because of their exceptional warmth.