# Common Eider (*Somateria mollissima*) The Common Eider is a beautiful duck known for its soft feathers and unique colors. They love to swim in the ocean and dive for tasty clams and mussels. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 23 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Common Eider](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Common_eider_female_at_Jones_Beach_%2804713%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Common_eider_female_at_Jones_Beach_%2804713%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Common Eider is a large, heavy-bodied sea duck. Males have striking black and white plumage with a green nape and an orange-yellow bill. Females are mottled brown, providing excellent camouflage against coastal rocks. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Anseriformes - **Family:** Anatidae - **Genus:** Somateria ## Interesting facts - Common Eiders eat shellfish whole, crushing them with their powerful gizzards! - Eider down is so warm, it's used in fancy parkas and sleeping bags! - Male eiders make a soft, cooing "ah-ooo" sound that sounds like a love song! - They can dive for over a minute, holding their breath longer than many humans! ## Special abilities - **Deep Diver:** Common Eider can dive over 20 meters because of its heavy body and strong legs, helping it grab food from the seafloor. - **Arctic Survivor:** Common Eider has super dense down feathers that create an amazing insulation layer, allowing it to thrive in icy waters. - **Saltwater Swimmer:** Common Eider has specialized glands that help remove excess salt, so they can drink seawater without getting sick. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 50-71 cm - **Wingspan:** 80-110 cm - **Weight:** 1.8-2.9 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-20 years - **Speed:** 65 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 4-6 - **Incubation:** 25-28 days - **Migration Distance:** 1500 km ## Diet & Feeding These marine ducks mainly feast on yummy shellfish found on the ocean floor. - **Primary Foods:** mussels, clams, crabs, sea urchins, small fish - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Arctic Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/arctic-fox) (*Vulpes lagopus*) — preys on eggs and ducklings - **Eaten by:** [Great Black-backed Gull](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-black-backed-gull) (*Larus marinus*) — preys on eggs and young ducklings - **Eats:** [Blue Mussel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-mussel) (*Mytilus edulis*) — main food source on the seafloor ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Thermoregulating](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/thermoregulating): Thermoregulating organisms maintain a stable internal body temperature despite fluctuations in the external environment. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Common Eider? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Common Eider? 50-71 cm ### What is Common Eider's wingspan? 80-110 cm ### How much does Common Eider weigh? 1.8-2.9 kg ### How long does Common Eider live? 15-20 years ### How fast can Common Eider move? 65 km/h ### What does Common Eider eat? These marine ducks mainly feast on yummy shellfish found on the ocean floor. ### Where is Common Eider usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Bellevue Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bellevue-avenue-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Chestnut Street District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chestnut-street-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District - [Connecticut College Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/connecticut-college-arboretum) — Connecticut, US · Botanical Garden - [Fort Revere Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-revere-park) — US · State Park - [Harkness Memorial State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/harkness-memorial-state-park) — Connecticut, US · Botanical Garden - [Harraseeket Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/harraseeket-historic-district) — Maine, US · Historic District [View all places to see Common Eider](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-eider) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Common Eider: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eider)