The King Eider is a large, spectacular sea duck of the high Arctic, and the drake is one of the most ornately marked of all waterfowl — a pale blue-gray crown and nape, glowing green cheeks, a coral-red bill topped by a bulging orange frontal shield outlined in black, and a boldly black-and-white body. The female is a rich, warm brown, intricately barred, and lacks the male's finery but shows the eider's heavy, wedge-shaped bill and bulky build. It is a powerful diver of cold, deep water.
King Eiders breed on the Arctic tundra and winter mainly at sea and on the Great Lakes, and in Michigan they occur as rare winter visitors, usually as young birds or females on the deep open water of the Great Lakes and large lakes, often among scoters and other diving ducks. They dive deep to feed on mollusks and crustaceans. A King Eider — especially an ornate drake — on the Great Lakes in winter is a major highlight, drawing birders to scan the offshore rafts of sea ducks for this Arctic wanderer.
Dives, often to considerable depths, to feed on mollusks, crustaceans, and other bottom invertebrates, swallowing hard-shelled prey whole and crushing it in a powerful gizzard. On the Great Lakes it forages in deep, cold water, frequently among scoters and other diving ducks.
The drake is unmistakable, with a blue-gray crown, green cheeks, and a bulging orange bill shield over a black-and-white body. Females and young are warm brown and barred, best identified by the heavy, wedge-shaped eider bill and bulky build.
As a rare winter visitor on the deep open water of the Great Lakes and large lakes, usually as females or young birds among scoters and other diving ducks. It breeds on the high Arctic tundra.
Mollusks, crustaceans, and other bottom invertebrates, taken on deep dives and crushed in a powerful gizzard. On the Great Lakes it forages in cold, deep water offshore.
About three years. First-year males are dull brown, second-years show a patchy mix of black, white, and orange, and only the third-year bird has the full pearl-gray crown and orange bill shield.
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