Track and Watch ³

This species is one of the 'track and watch' species in the Yukon as it is rare, threatened or both. If you see this species please take a photo (if you can), note where you are and either upload it to iNaturalist or send it straight to the Conservation Data Centre (CDC) by downloading a Field Observation Form for animals or by using your own method or reporting, and sending it to us: yukoncdc@gov.yk.ca

Summary ⁴

Eiders are bulky ducks with a large wedge-shaped bill. In fact, it is their bill and their flattened head that make them easy to identify. Males are unmistakeable with their black-white plumage and characteristic 'ah-hoo' call. They nest along coastlines and on small islands. Downy feathers from eiders are the best in the world. Females line their nests with this material. In Iceland, people gather the feathers for making comforters and pillows.

Threats ⁵

The species is vulnerable to chronic coastal oil pollution (Nikolaeva et al. 2006), especially oil spills (del Hoyo et al. 1992, Kear 2005, Nikolaeva et al. 2006), in areas where large moulting and wintering concentrations occur (del Hoyo et al. 1992). It also comes into conflict with the shellfish aquaculture industry which depletes the species's food resources (Kear 2005, Ens 2006, Nikolaeva et al. 2006,) and has previously lead to mass starvation events due to the over-fishing of benthic molluscs (e.g. in the Dutch Wadden Sea) (Camphuysen et al. 2002, Ens 2006). On the breeding grounds disturbance from the development of mineral resources along the coast (Nikolaeva et al. 2006) and from local shore-based activities (e.g. angling, dog-walking (Keller 1991) and scientific research (Bolduc and Guillemette 2003)) increases the likelihood of predation on young (Keller 1991). Unregulated tourism and shipping also cause disturbance to the species on its wintering grounds (Nikolaeva et al. 2006). The species commonly becomes entangled and drowned in monofilament nets(Kear 2005) (e.g. gillnets (Merkel 2004)), and it is hunted unsustainably (Nikolaeva et al. 2006) (e.g. in Denmark (Bregnballe et al. 2006) and Greenland (Merkel 2004)).

Populations of this species in the high Arctic are subject to shooting, especially in spring, by indigenous peoples for food (Byers and Dickson 2001, Kear 2005). This subsistence hunting is likely to be sustainable at current levels (Byers and Dickson 2001). The species is also shot for sport in North America (this harvest may exceed sustainable levels in some areas (Kear 2005)).

Sources and Credits

1. (c) David Merrett, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://www.flickr.com/photos/14265068@N00/3576455518
2. (c) Roland zh, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Somateria_mollissima_-_Holzbr%C3%BCcke_2011-03-24_15-21-26.JPG
3. (c) Yukon Conservation Data Centre, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
4. Adapted by Yukon Conservation Data Centre from a work by (c) Copyright Ecomare, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/22758479
5. Adapted by Yukon Conservation Data Centre from a work by (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31266102

More Info

• iNaturalist.ca taxon page
• All About Birds-- The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• CalPhotos
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• NBN Atlas
• VertNet
• Xeno-canto

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