- Somateria fischeri
Identification
52‑56 cm. Male breeding plumage - black chest, white back, and pale green head with a long, sloping forehead and white spectacle‑like patches around the eyes. During the late summer and autumn, males are entirely mottled brown. Females and juveniles are mottled brown year‑round with pale brown eye patches.
Distribution
Coastal northern Siberia east to northern Alaska
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
For most of the year they are at sea, but for breeding they visit wet coastal tundra.
Behaviour
Diet
The diet includes molluscs, aquatic insects, crustaceans, and vegetation.
Breeding
They establish nests near shallow ponds or lakes. They build a lined nest, and 5–9 eggs are laid.
References
- Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Spectacled Eider. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 27 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Spectacled_Eider
