Animalia > Chordata > Aves > Anseriformes > Anatidae > Somateria > Somateria spectabilisSomateria spectabilis (King Eider)Synonyms: Anas spectabilis (homotypic) Language: French The king eider (pronounced /ˈaɪ.dər/) (Somateria spectabilis) is a large sea duck that breeds along Northern Hemisphere Arctic coasts of northeast Europe, North America and Asia. The birds spend most of the year in coastal marine ecosystems at high latitudes, and migrate to Arctic tundra to breed in June and July. They lay four to seven eggs in a scrape on the ground lined with grass and down. |
Uniqueness Scale: Similiar (0) Unique (100) Uniqueness & Vulnerability Scale: Similiar & Secure (0) Unique & Vulnerable (100) ED Score: 3.11996 EDGE Score: 1.41584 |
| Adult Weight [1] | 3.984 lbs (1.807 kg) | | Birth Weight [3] | 73 grams |  | | Breeding Habitat [2] | Arctic tundra, Arctic coastal | | Wintering Geography [2] | Coastal U.S./Canada | | Wintering Habitat [2] | Arctic coastal, Coastal marine | | | Diet [4] | Carnivore (Invertebrates), Granivore, Herbivore | | Diet - Invertibrates [4] | 80 % | | Diet - Plants [4] | 10 % | | Diet - Seeds [4] | 10 % | | Forages - Water Surface [4] | 20 % | | Forages - Underwater [4] | 80 % | | | Clutch Size [7] | 5 | | Clutches / Year [6] | 1 | | Fledging [5] | 30 days | | Global Population (2017 est.) [2] | 570,000 | | Incubation [6] | 23 days | | Maximum Longevity [6] | 19 years | | Snout to Vent Length [5] | 21 inches (53 cm) | | Speed [8] | 35.791 MPH (16 m/s) | | Wing Span [8] | 37 inches (.93 m) | | | Female Maturity [6] | 2 years | | Male Maturity [6] | 2 years |
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| Name |
IUCN Category |
Area acres |
Location |
Species |
Website |
Climate |
Land Use |
|
Acadia National Park |
II |
35996 |
Maine, United States |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge |
Ib |
2347132 |
Alaska, United States |
|
|
|
|
|
Aleutian Islands Biosphere Reserve |
|
2720489 |
Alaska, United States |
|
|
|
|
|
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge |
Ib |
12402936 |
Alaska, United States |
|
|
|
|
|
Aulavik National Park |
II |
3021211 |
Northwest Territories, Canada |
|
|
|
|
|
Auyuittuq National Park |
II |
4808115 |
Nunavut, Canada |
|
|
|
|
|
Bruce Peninsula National Park |
II |
|
Ontario, Canada |
|
|
|
|
|
California Coast Ranges Biosphere Reserve |
|
153447 |
California, United States |
|
|
|
|
|
Cape Cod National Seashore |
II |
21724 |
Massachusetts, United States |
|
|
|
|
|
Cape Hatteras National Seashore |
II |
21476 |
North Carolina, United States |
|
|
|
|
|
Cape Lookout National Seashore |
II |
18379 |
North Carolina, United States |
|
|
|
|
|
Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge |
IV |
8964 |
South Carolina, United States |
|
|
|
|
|
Carolinian-South Atlantic Biosphere Reserve |
|
310228 |
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, United States |
|
|
|
|
|
Cumberland Island National Seashore |
II |
20629 |
Georgia, United States |
|
|
|
|
|
Elkhorn Slough Preserve Nature Conservancy - Preserve |
Ia |
964 |
California, United States |
|
|
|
|
|
Fal and Helford |
|
15785 |
England, United Kingdom |
|
|
|
|
|
Fathom Five National Marine Park |
II |
|
Ontario, Canada |
|
|
|
|
|
Firth of Tay & Eden Estuary |
|
38085 |
Scotland, United Kingdom |
|
|
|
|
|
Forillon National Park |
II |
61010 |
Quebec, Canada |
|
|
|
|
|
Fort Pulaski National Monument |
V |
4213 |
Georgia, United States |
|
|
|
|
|
Fundy National Park |
II |
52716 |
New Brunswick, Canada |
|
|
|
|
|
Gates of the Arctic National Park |
Ib |
184461 |
Alaska, United States |
|
|
|
|
|
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve |
Ib |
591068 |
Alaska, United States |
|
|
|
|
|
Gros Morne National Park |
II |
476632 |
Newfoundland, Canada |
|
|
|
|
|
Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve |
II |
366714 |
British Columbia, Canada |
|
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Isle of Rum National Nature Reserve |
|
|
Scotland, United Kingdom |
|
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|
|
Ivvavik National Park |
II |
2382752 |
Yukon, Canada |
|
|
|
|
|
Kirkkonummen saaristo (SPA) |
|
35173 |
Finland |
|
|
|
|
|
Kronotskiy Biosphere Reserve |
|
361480 |
Russia |
|
|
|
|
|
Little St. Simons Island |
|
|
Georgia, United States |
|
|
|
|
|
Long Point Biosphere Reserve |
|
100325 |
Ontario, Canada |
|
|
|
|
|
Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve |
II |
20461 |
Quebec, Canada |
|
|
|
|
|
Minsmere to Walberswick Heaths and Marshes |
|
3127 |
England, United Kingdom |
|
|
|
|
|
Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve |
|
470167 |
Ontario, Canada |
|
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|
|
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Noatak Biosphere Reserve |
|
7500143 |
Alaska, United States |
|
|
|
|
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North Norfolk Coast |
|
7926 |
England, United Kingdom |
|
|
|
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|
North-east Greenland National Park |
II |
237590314 |
Greenland |
|
|
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|
|
Ostrov Vrangelya (Wrangel Island) Zapovednik Nature Monument |
III |
180 |
Russia |
|
|
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|
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Point Reyes National Seashore |
II |
27068 |
California, United States |
|
|
|
|
|
Polar Bear Provincial Park |
|
5502026 |
Ontario, Canada |
|
|
|
|
|
Queen Maud Gulf Bird Sanctuary Migratory Bird Sanctuary |
IV |
15335601 |
Nunavut, Canada |
|
|
|
|
|
Quttinirpaaq (Ellesmere Island) National Park Reserve |
II |
9436606 |
Nunavut, Canada |
|
|
|
|
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Redwood National Park |
II |
77867 |
California, United States |
|
|
|
|
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Rondeau Provincial Park |
II |
5035 |
Ontario, Canada |
|
|
|
|
|
Saguenay - St. Lawrence Marine Park National Marine Conservation Area |
II |
310822 |
Canada |
|
|
|
|
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Saint Lawrence Islands National Park |
II |
|
Ontario, Canada |
|
|
|
|
|
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area |
V |
38440 |
California, United States |
|
|
|
|
|
Seksmiilarin saaristo |
|
42581 |
Finland |
|
|
|
|
|
Sirmilik National Park |
II |
5475284 |
Canada |
|
|
|
|
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Slowinski National Park |
II |
50972 |
Poland |
|
|
|
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South Atlantic Coastal Plain Biosphere Reserve |
|
20317 |
South Carolina, United States |
|
|
|
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Taimyrsky Biosphere Reserve |
Ia |
4403240 |
Taimyr, Russia |
|
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Tuktut Nogait National Park |
II |
5761538 |
Northwest Territories, Canada |
|
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Ukkusiksalik National Park |
II |
|
Nunavut, Canada |
|
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Walker Bay Field Station |
|
|
Nunavut, Canada |
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| Name |
Location |
IBA Criteria |
Website |
Climate |
Land Use |
|
Aqajarua-Sullorsuaq (Mudderbugten and Kvandalen) |
Greenland (to Denmark) |
A4i, B1i |
|
|
|
|
Cape Peirce |
USA |
A1, A4i, A4ii |
|
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Cape Senyavin |
USA |
A4i |
|
|
|
|
Coastal belt of eastern Murmansk |
Russia (European) |
A4i, B1i |
|
|
|
|
First Kuril strait |
Russia (Asian) |
A4i, A4iii |
|
|
|
|
Fyllas bank off Nuuk |
Greenland (to Denmark) |
A4i, A4iii, B1i |
|
|
|
|
Hochstetter Forland |
Greenland (to Denmark) |
A3, A4i, B1i, B3 |
|
|
|
|
Hornøy and Reinøy |
Norway |
A4i, A4iii, B1i, B1ii, B3, C4 |
|
|
|
|
Inner parts of Kongsfjorden |
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) |
A3, B1i, B3 |
|
|
|
|
Khaypudyrskaya Bay (islands of B. Zelenets, Dolgi, Matveyev) |
Russia (European) |
A4i, A4iii, B1i |
|
|
|
|
Kvichak Bay |
USA |
A1, A4i |
|
|
|
|
Lena delta |
Russia (Asian) |
A1, A4i, A4iii |
|
|
|
|
Nordfjord and adjacent valley |
Greenland (to Denmark) |
A4i, B1i, B2 |
|
|
|
|
Northern part of Store Hellefiskebanke |
Greenland (to Denmark) |
A4i, A4iii, B1i |
|
|
|
|
Nushagak Bay |
USA |
A1, A4i |
|
|
|
|
Port Moller-Herendeen Bay |
USA |
A1, A4i |
|
|
|
|
Queen Maud Gulf |
Canada |
A4i, A4iii |
|
|
|
|
Rasmussen Lowlands |
Canada |
A4i, A4iii |
|
|
|
|
Russki Zavorot Peninsula and eastern part of Malozemelskaya Tundra |
Russia (European) |
A3, A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2 |
|
|
|
|
San-Yuryakh |
Russia (Asian) |
A1, A3, A4i |
|
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|
|
South-east Svalbard Nature Reserve |
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) |
A3, A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, B3 |
|
|
|
|
Terpyay-Tumus |
Russia (Asian) |
A1, A3, A4i |
|
|
|
|
Terski coast |
Russia (European) |
A1, A4i, B1i |
|
|
|
|
Umiiarfik |
Greenland (to Denmark) |
A4i, B1i |
|
|
|
|
Valley of the Yorkutayakha river |
Russia (Central Asian) |
A1, A3, A4iii |
|
|
|
|
Varangerfjord |
Norway |
A1, A3, A4i, A4iii, B1i |
|
|
|
|
West Chaun plain |
Russia (Asian) |
A1, A3, A4i |
|
|
|
|
Western part of Germania land |
Greenland (to Denmark) |
A3, A4i, B1i |
|
|
|
|
Yana delta |
Russia (Asian) |
A1, A3, A4i |
|
|
|
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 Attributes / relations provided by ♦ 1Storchová, Lenka; Hořák, David (2018), Data from: Life-history characteristics of European birds, Dryad, Dataset, https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.n6k3n ♦ 2Partners in Flight Avian Conservation Assessment Database, version 2017. Accessed on January 2018. ♦ 3Terje Lislevand, Jordi Figuerola, and Tamás Székely. 2007. Avian body sizes in relation to fecundity, mating system, display behavior, and resource sharing. Ecology 88:1605 ♦ 4Hamish Wilman, Jonathan Belmaker, Jennifer Simpson, Carolina de la Rosa, Marcelo M. Rivadeneira, and Walter Jetz. 2014. EltonTraits 1.0: Species-level foraging attributes of the world's birds and mammals. Ecology 95:2027 ♦ 5Nathan P. Myhrvold, Elita Baldridge, Benjamin Chan, Dhileep Sivam, Daniel L. Freeman, and S. K. Morgan Ernest. 2015. An amniote life-history database to perform comparative analyses with birds, mammals, and reptiles. Ecology 96:3109 ♦ 6de Magalhaes, J. P., and Costa, J. (2009) A database of vertebrate longevity records and their relation to other life-history traits. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 22(8):1770-1774 ♦ 7Jetz W, Sekercioglu CH, Böhning-Gaese K (2008) The Worldwide Variation in Avian Clutch Size across Species and Space PLoS Biol 6(12): e303. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0060303 ♦ 8Alerstam T, Rosén M, Bäckman J, Ericson PGP, Hellgren O (2007) Flight Speeds among Bird Species: Allometric and Phylogenetic Effects. PLoS Biol 5(8): e197. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0050197 ♦ 9The diet of king eiders wintering in Nuuk, Southwest Greenland, with reference to sympatric wintering common eiders, Flemming R. Merkel, Anders Mosbech, Sarah E. Jamieson, Knud Falk, Polar Biology Volume 30, Number 12, 1593-1597 (2007) ♦ 10POTAPOV, E. 2011. Gyrfalcon diet: Spatial and temporal variation In R. T. Watson, T. J. Cade, M. Fuller, G. Hunt, and E. Potapov (Eds.). Gyrfalcons and Ptarmigan in a Changing World. The Peregrine Fund, Boise, Idaho, USA ♦ 11Gibson, D. I., Bray, R. A., & Harris, E. A. (Compilers) (2005). Host-Parasite Database of the Natural History Museum, London Ecoregions provided by World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF). WildFinder: Online database of species distributions, ver. 01.06 Wildfinder Database |
Species taxanomy provided by GBIF Secretariat (2022). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org on 2023-06-13; License: CC BY 4.0
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