Common Eider
Common EiderCommon EiderCommon EiderCommon Eider

Common Eider

Somateria mollissima

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Insufficient data
overall probability at Kenai Fjords National Park
1 Verified records at Kenai Fjords National Park
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The common eider (pronounced ) (Somateria mollissima), also called St. Cuthbert's duck or Cuddy's duck, is a large (50–71 cm (20–28 in) in body length) sea-duck that is distributed over the northern coasts of Europe, North America and eastern Siberia. It breeds in Arctic and some northern temperate regions, but winters somewhat farther south in temperate zones, when it can form large flocks on coastal waters. It can fly at speeds up to 113 km/h (70 mph). The eider's nest is built close to the sea and is lined with eiderdown, plucked from the female's breast. This soft and warm lining has long been harvested for filling pillows and quilts, but in more recent years has been largely replaced by down from domestic farm-geese and synthetic alternatives. Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Kenai Fjords National Park

Surf Scoter
LC

Surf Scoter

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melanitta perspicillata

20–30% · Possible
Common Merganser
LC

Common Merganser

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mergus merganser

10–20% · With luck
Harlequin Duck
LC

Harlequin Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Histrionicus histrionicus

10–20% · With luck
American White-winged Scoter
LC

American White-winged Scoter

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melanitta deglandi

10–20% · With luck
Red-breasted Merganser
LC

Red-breasted Merganser

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mergus serrator

5–10% · With luck
Greater Scaup
LC

Greater Scaup

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aythya marila

<5% · Rare
Gadwall
LC

Gadwall

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mareca strepera

<5% · Rare
Barrow's Goldeneye
LC

Barrow's Goldeneye

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bucephala islandica

<5% · Rare
Black Scoter
NT

Black Scoter

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melanitta americana

<5% · Rare
Long-tailed Duck
VU

Long-tailed Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Clangula hyemalis

<5% · Rare
American Wigeon

American Wigeon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mareca americana

<5% · Rare
Brant
LC

Brant

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Branta bernicla

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

📊

Fewer than 5 records of Common Eider at Kenai Fjords National Park — not enough to chart months honestly.

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
50–60%
2 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
3 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
20–30%
4 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
5 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
6 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
5–10%
7 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
8 Thingvellir National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
Insufficient data
9 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Insufficient data
10 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
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