Habitat ³

The Common Eider is a marine species. Nesting sites are on driftwood beaches, on barrier islands associated with river deltas and spits.

Distribution ³

Yukon: Restricted to the Beaufort Sea coast.
North America: Breeds along marine coastlines from southwestern Alaska, the Canadian Arctic islands, and Greenland south to James Bay, and along the Atlantic coast to Massachusetts. Winters in North America off the Aleutians and south coastal Alaska, and in Hudson Bay, off Greenland, and on the Atlantic coast from Labrador to Virginia.
Global: Holarctic distribution; breeds in northern Eurasia.

Distinguishing Features ³

The large size, sloping forehead with feathers extending along the side of the bill beyond the nostrils, and the male’s black eye and forehead stripe, white back and breast, and black belly are distinctive.

Report Sightings: During breeding season (mid-June through early August) ³

Sources and Credits

1. (c) David Merrett, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://www.flickr.com/photos/14265068@N00/3576455518
2. (c) Ron Knight, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/sussexbirder/13667613453/
3. (c) L.G. Johanson, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

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

iNaturalist.ca Map