Common Eider
Somateria mollissima
NTNear Threatened
- Family
- Ducks, Swans, and Geese (Anatidae)
- Order
- Anseriformes
Overview
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).
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Continents
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Common eider
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.