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Species of Special Concern
Status
Alaska species of special concern; Federal threatened species
Description
Steller's eiders are the smallest of the four eider species, averaging 17-18 inches long. The male has a white head with a greenish tuft and small black eye patches, a black back, white shoulders, and a chestnut breast and belly; females are mottled dark brown. Adults of both sexes have a blue wing speculum with a white border.
Habitats and Habits
Steller's eiders are diving ducks that feed on mussels in marine waters during the winter and insect larvae in freshwater ponds during the breeding season of spring and summer. Their current breeding range includes the arctic coastal plain in northern Alaska and northern coastal areas of Russia, where they nest on the tundra near small ponds. In winter, most of the world's population of Steller's eiders range throughout the Alaska Peninsula and eastern Aleutian Islands. In Alaska, the breeding population may number as few as 1,000 individuals. The current world population estimate is 150,000 to 200,000 birds, but the population is thought to have declined by as much as 50 percent between the 1960s and 1980s.
Causes of Decline
Unknown.
Range of the Steller's EiderResearch and Recovery
Steller's eiders were formerly common in Alaska. Research has focused on surveys to document where the eiders are found and to estimate population size. Additional research has focused on reproduction, mortality, migration and behavior. Little is known about this species. Studies are underway to determine the causes of the decline.
Text: Lori Quakenbush
For Additional Information
Please contact:
Doug Vincent-Lang
(907) 267-2339
