Somateria – Eiders

Some of the most iconic sea ducks of the far north that are instantly recognizable for their large size, rounded heads, and thick, velvety plumage. They live along the cold coastlines of the Arctic and subarctic regions of Europe, Asia, and North America, spending most of their lives riding waves, diving for food, and enduring weather that would freeze most other birds. All eiders share the same general build—big-bodied, heavy-set, and perfectly adapted for life in icy water. Their feathers are not only extremely warm but also arranged so that water rolls off them efficiently, helping them stay buoyant and insulated in freezing seas.

What sets eiders apart from most ducks is their close relationship with the ocean. They are diving specialists, plunging beneath the waves to pry mussels, clams, and other shellfish from the sea floor. While many diving ducks swallow small prey whole, eiders are capable of tackling surprisingly tough shellfish thanks to their strong gizzards, which crush shells like a built-in grinder. Their diet makes them naturally tied to rocky coasts and shallow marine areas where mussels thrive, and this connection shapes much of their behavior.

Eiders often form tightly packed rafts on the water, bobbing together like floating islands, and they rely heavily on open leads within sea ice in winter. King and Spectacled Eiders even spend the darkest months in remote, ice-choked waters, diving through small cracks in the ice to reach the ocean below. Their ability to survive where daylight disappears for weeks and temperatures drop far below freezing shows just how specialized they are.

Another distinctive aspect of Somateria is how these ducks breed. Common Eiders are famous for their nesting colonies, where dozens or even hundreds of females gather on low, windswept Arctic islands. Each female lines her nest with astonishingly soft down plucked from her own chest, creating one of the world’s warmest natural insulating materials.