Why is it called the king eider?
Why is it called the king eider?
The bird’s common name, king eider, is a direct translation of its Icelandic name. It is called “king” because of the orange, crown-like knob above the male’s bill; the male’s multicoloured plumage also suggests royal robes.
Are king eiders rare?
It is a rare winter visitor along the West Coast outside Alaska. However, nearly all sightings of King Eider outside its normal range are of females and subadult males, which are much plainer and readily confused with Common Eider (an excessively rare bird along the West Coast).
Where does the king eider live?
arctic tundra
Habitat. King Eiders nest in arctic tundra, both wet and dry, usually not far from water, whether interior lakes or the ocean coast. Common plants in such habitats include purple saxifrage, crowberry, bearberry, Labrador tea, dwarf birch, arctic willow, pendant grass, and various sedges.
How long does a king eider live?
20 years
Common Eiders can live 20 years, one of the longest lifespans among sea ducks.
What does a king eider look like?
Adult males are pale on the head and neck and mostly black on the body, with a large orange plate above the red bill. The crown is tinged blue-gray and the face is greenish. The back, underwing, flank and upperwing are white. Adult females are rich rusty brown intricately patterned with black.
Where can I hunt king eider?
Alaska’s Pribilof Islands in the famous Bering Sea is the most practical place on earth for king eider hunting. For the dedicated waterfowler looking for the ultimate guided duck hunt in Alaska for trophy King Eiders, Harlequin, Long Tail Ducks (Old Squaw) and Scoters, there’s no better option.
Do eider ducks dive?
A maximum of 40,000 diving ducks and 2,900 Eiders have been recorded there, attracted by a plentiful food supply and a calm sea. The main foods of the Eiders are molluscs and crustaceans, obtained by diving, up-ending, dipping and scratching out craters.
What does the common eider eat?
Mainly mollusks. Feeds especially on mussels and other bivalves; also some crabs and other crustaceans, echinoderms, aquatic insects, small fish. On breeding grounds eats more insects and some plant material.
How fast do king eiders fly?
40 miles per hour
They fly at speeds up to 40 miles per hour, faster with tailwinds. The King Eider forages on sea beds up to 80 feet deep. The female King Eider alone attends the nest.
Where did the word eiderdown come from?
Icelandic
eiderdown (n.) Ultimately from Icelandic æðardun, via a Scandinavian source (compare Danish ederdunn) or German Eiderdon.
What does eider down mean?
1 : the down of the eider. 2 : a comforter filled with eiderdown. 3 : a soft lightweight clothing fabric knitted or woven and napped on one or both sides.
