King Eider

Somateria spectabilis

Introduction

This handsome seaduck is a scarce visitor from its northern breeding grounds. Although it may be recorded at any time of year, most records are from northern Britain in the winter months.

The female King Eider does not feed very often during the three week incubation period. One female was not observed to leave her nest for seven days, until being flushed by an Arctic Fox.

Key Stats

Status

Rare

Weight

1.8kg

Seasonality

<1%

BTO Records

4.4k records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

No current data

120% expansion

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

Species of European Conservation Concern

Least Concern

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Orkney, 1832

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

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King Eiders are scarce vagrants but several individuals winter most years, usually associated with Eider flocks and often in northern Britain.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in winter

% occupied in winter

0.8%

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

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This vagrant has been recorded in several atlases so we have been able to map distribution changes. However, as a rarity these may not show a consistent pattern of change.

Change in occupied 10-km squares in the UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007-11 and indicate by how much occupied areas have expanded or contracted over recent decades.

% change in range in winter (1981–84 to 2007–11)

120 %

Bird Atlas distribution change maps show how bird distributions have changed through time. Coloured upward-pointing triangles show places apparently colonised over the period; grey downward-pointing triangles show places apparently vacated. Shading show places occupied.

Winter Distribution change for King Eider

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Seasonality

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King Eider is a scarce vagrant, with many records relating to long-staying individuals that may be seen in almost any month of the year.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about King Eider movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for King Eider, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for King Eider

Classification and Codes

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Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Scientific name: Somateria spectabilis
Authority: Linnaeus, 1758

BTO 2-letter code: KE
BTO 5-letter code: KINEI
Euring code number: 2070

Alternate species names

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Catalan: èider reial
Czech: kajka královská
Danish: Kongeederfugl
Dutch: Koningseider
Estonian: kuninghahk
Finnish: kyhmyhaahka
French: Eider à tête grise

German: Prachteiderente
Hungarian: cifra pehelyréce
Icelandic: Æðarkóngur
Irish: Éadar Taibhseach
Italian: Re degli edredoni
Latvian: krašna pukpile
Lithuanian: skiauteretoji gaga
Norwegian: Praktærfugl

Polish: (edredon) turkan
Portuguese: êider-real
Slovak: kajka hrbozobá
Slovenian: pisana gaga
Spanish: Éider real
Swedish: praktejder
Welsh: Hwyaden Fwythblu'r Gogledd

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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