Common & King Eiders
Somateria mollissima & spectabilis

Common Eider is a regular winter visitor to offshore waters off Long Island, often in large numbers. King Eider is a regular but rare find in the same area, with virtually all individuals being females or immatures, and I've only seen it a few times. In January, 2004, birding with my father at Point Lookout, we were delighted to find females of both species swimming side by side, very close to shore.

As I browsed through my video footage, I realized I had not filmed much of the Common Eiders, focused as I was on the more rare King Eider (as well as flocks of Purple Sandpipers and Harlequin Ducks in the area.) But I did find the still above, showing the two species swimming side by side. The Common Eider is at top; note a more elongated head, a darker crown, and a bit of a black line through the eye. The King Eider, at bottom and pictured solo below, has a smaller, more round-headed appearance, a distinctive white mark above the eye, and an upturned gape that looks a bit like a smile. What a wonderful opportunity this was for field study of these two interesting species!

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