The Stunning King Eider

The King Eider is one of the most striking sea ducks in the Northern hemisphere. This male King Eider is trying to woo a mate with soft coos and brilliant colors — his beak and feathers are decked out in black, white, green, grey, tangerine, yellow, and ivory. Unlike her showy suitor, the female King Eider is mottled brown — the perfect camouflage for blending into the Arctic tundra. After incubating her nest for nearly 3 weeks by herself, the female eider leads her fluffy chicks to the sea where the ducks spend the winter diving amidst the pack ice in search of tasty shellfish.

This episode is dedicated to Gary and Liz Kennedy Ketcheson, who are grateful to BirdNote for sharing the wonder of birds with listeners around the world.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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