Photo: Andreas Trepte / CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
Common Eider
Somateria mollissima
Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 2.1 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Anseriformes
- Family Anatidae Ducks, Geese, Swans
- Genus Somateria
- Species mollissima
Where it lives
Central, southern coastal Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Is., northwestern Europe to Chukotka Pen. (northeastern Russia), Alaska through Arctic Canada to Massachusetts (northwestern Atlantic)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 2.1 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Anatidae
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Common Eider hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The Common Eider is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) belongs to the Anatidae family of the order Anseriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Its distribution covers NA, PAL c, s coastal Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Is., nw Europe to Chukotka Pen. (ne Russia), Alaska through Arctic Canada to Massachusetts (nw Atlantic).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 2.1 kg, with a wing length of about 28 cm and a tail of around 8.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 3.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Common Eider?
The Common Eider is a very large bird that weighs around 2.1 kg.
Where does the Common Eider live?
The Common Eider is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering NA, PAL c, s coastal Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Is., nw Europe to Chukotka Pen. (ne Russia), Alaska through Arctic Canada to Massachusetts (nw Atlantic), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Common Eider belong to?
The Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.
What does the Common Eider eat?
The Common Eider hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Common Eider migrate?
The Common Eider is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Common Eider endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Common Eider make?
1 real field recording of the Common Eider — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Common Eider's range?
The Common Eider has a mapped global range of about 3.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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