Overview
The spectacled eider is slightly smaller than the common eider. The male is unmistakable with its black body, white back, and yellow-green head with the large circular white eye patches which give the species its name. The drake's call is a weak crooning, and the female's a harsh croak. The female is a rich brown bird, but can still be readily distinguished from all ducks except other eider species on size and structure. The paler goggles are visible with a reasonable view and clinch identification. Immature birds and eclipse adult drakes are similar to the female.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Bird
- Family
- Anatidae
- Genus
- Somateria
- Species
- fisheri
Habitat
Coastal waters and tundra.
Diet
This species dives for crustaceans and molluscs.
Behavior
The lined nest is built on tundra close to the sea, and 5–9 eggs are laid. The winter range is poorly known, but satellite tracking has led to observations of large flocks of the birds about 100 km southwest of St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea during March–April.
Hunting
Unknown.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.