From Opus

Photo by Rob
Svalbard, June 2003

Somateria spectabilis

[edit] Identification

55cm
Adult Male: Breeding:

• Body almost totally black or blackish
• White mantle
• Pinkish-white breast
• Grey head with orange forehead
• Coral-pink bill
• White wing bars show in flight

[edit] Similar Species

Female, immature and eclipse male similar to female Common Eider and Steller's Eider

[edit] Distribution

Photo by jtwood
Batsford, Norway, March 2009

In the Western Palearctic breeds only in the far north on the islands of Svalbard, Novaya Zemlya and Ostrov Kolguyev, and on the mainland of coastal Arctic Russia from the Kanin Peninsula eastwards. Occasionally breeds south of main range and sometimes interbreeds with Common Eider.

In winter occurs from the White Sea west to the north Scandinavia coast and around coasts of Iceland. Chicks have been recorded in Iceland although they were considered to be probable hybrids. Rare but regular in northern Scotland in very small numbers with long-staying and returning individuals (c.170 records). Also regularly recorded in small numbers in the southern Baltic. Occasional elsewhere in Britain, vagrant over most of Northern Europe and south to Spain, Italy and the Azores.

[edit] Taxonomy

Monotypic

[edit] Habitat

Breeds on tundra, winters at sea normally in Arctic regions and not confined to inshore waters.

[edit] Behaviour

Vagrants to the south of usual range usually seen inshore in company of Common Eider.

[edit] Diet

Dives for crustaceans, molluscs and starfish.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
2. Collins Pocket Guide to British Birds 1966
3. Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
4. Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6
5. BTO BirdFacts

• List of references

[edit] External Links