Steller's Eider

About

A small sea duck. Males have a white head with green facial markings, black throat patch, chestnut underparts, and white back; females are dark brown. The smallest eider. Breeds in Arctic tundra; winters in Baltic Sea and Alaskan coastal waters. Vulnerable to contaminants and oil spills.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Wingspan	40.7 cm	16.0 in
Weight	815.75 g	28.77 oz

Identification

Plumage

Males have white head with green nape spot, black eye patch and chin; orange-buff underparts; black back with white wing patches. Females mottled dark brown with blue speculum bordered white. Small compact eider.

Habitat & Range

Breeds on low-lying coastal tundra in Arctic Russia and occasionally Alaska. Winters on shallow rocky sea coasts, kelp beds, and sheltered bays in the Baltic Sea and Pacific coast of Alaska. Listed as Vulnerable.

🌿 Wetland

Geographic Range

Breeds in boreal Canada and Alaska; winters along Pacific and Atlantic coasts and on large interior lakes of the US.

Diet & Feeding

Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow coastal and estuarine habitats; diet invertebrate-dominated.

Conservation Status

Vulnerable

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: M. Incubation: 26-27 days. Fledging: 49 days.

Clutch Size

3-10

Sound

Song

Male produces a low, soft cooing note; female gives a guttural, grunting purr. Quieter than other eiders; the male's gentle cooing is unlike the louder calls of the Common Eider.

Taxonomy

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Order	Anseriformes (Waterfowl)
Family	Anatidae (Ducks, Geese & Swans)
Genus	Polysticta
Species	Polysticta stelleri

Distribution

Steller's Eider has been recorded in 4 countries.

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Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇩🇪 Germany 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Steller's Eider eat?

Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow coastal and estuarine habitats; diet invertebrate-dominated.

Where does the Steller's Eider live?

Breeds on low-lying coastal tundra in Arctic Russia and occasionally Alaska. Winters on shallow rocky sea coasts, kelp beds, and sheltered bays in the Baltic Sea and Pacific coast of Alaska. Listed as Vulnerable.

Is the Steller's Eider endangered?

The Steller's Eider has a conservation status of Vulnerable.

How does the Steller's Eider nest?

Nest type: M. Incubation: 26-27 days. Fledging: 49 days.

What does the Steller's Eider sound like?

Male produces a low, soft cooing note; female gives a guttural, grunting purr. Quieter than other eiders; the male's gentle cooing is unlike the louder calls of the Common Eider.

How big is the Steller's Eider?

The Steller's Eider has a wingspan of 40.7 cm, weight of 815.75 g.

What order and family does the Steller's Eider belong to?

The Steller's Eider (Polysticta stelleri) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.