Somateria spectabilis, King eider

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Somateria spectabilis (Linnaeus, 1758)

King eider

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Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | CoL | ITIS | WoRMS

Aves | Anseriformes | Anatidae

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Others. Polar

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Northeast Pacific, Northern Atlantic and the Arctic.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cmmax. published weight: 1.6 kg (Ref. 356)

Short description Morphology

Culmen: 3.175 cm; tarsus: 4.6 cm; wing: 27.35 cm.

Coastal (Ref. 356). A boreal species (Ref. 95075). Winters in the north Pacific (Ref. 356). Also, in northern Norway where it is sympatrically associated with Common Eiders, Somateria mollissima, through feeding depth segregation; diving to >20 m, in areas dominated by cobble. Diet studies reflect its deep-water feeding habit, preferring low energetic food such as echinoderms. Possibly one of the most deep-diving species of sea ducks; with flocks observed diving to depths of 40 m (Ref. 60129). Displays surface-diving and head-dipping (Ref. 356). Generally diurnal feeders. Often feed in densely packed rafts of up to about 70 individuals, with highly synchronized diving; occasionally feeding singly or in loose flocks with unsynchronized diving. At sea, feed primarily on benthos, specifically molluscs, crustaceans and echinoderms. Principal moulting area in the eastern Canadian Arctic is in the Disko Bay region, central West Greenland, with about 100,000 birds congregating in autumn. Active during the day, resting at mid-day and during the night offshore on the deepest waters of the fjords. Generally shy birds, particularly during molting (Ref. 95257).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference References | Coordinator | Collaborators

SAUP Database. 2006. (Ref. 356)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 07 August 2018

CITES status (Ref. 108899)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Appendix II: Migratory species conserved through agreements

Threat to humans

Human uses

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Trophic Ecology

Food items
Diet composition
Food consumption
Food rations
Predators

Ecology

Population dynamics

Growth
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance

Life cycle

Reproduction
Maturity
Fecundity
Spawning
Eggs
Egg development
Larvae
Larval dynamics

Distribution

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions

Human Related

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Stamps, coins, misc.

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Taxonomy

Common names
Synonyms
Morphology
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References

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 0.4 - 12, mean 6.7 (based on 2221 cells).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

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