2020 Bonanza Bird #30

Meet the Birdorable King Eider: The Majestic Sea Duck of the North

Birdorable King Eider

Today the second of our three “kings” joins Birdorable in the lead-up to Christmas. The King Eider is a large species of sea duck found in both the Old and New World.

King Eiders are hardy ducks, spending almost all of their time at sea. Breeding brings them to land, but females care for the nest and chicks alone, so they spend a bit more time away from the sea than males.

Speaking of male King Eiders, look at that crazy plumage! Males in breeding season are sensational, with a lot going on in terms of both color and form. They are pale blue from the forehead to the nape of the neck, with pale green cheeks and a bright yellow-orange frontal lobe framed inside a black outline. All this, and a red bill, too. It’s almost too much, but then they’ve got what looks like little “sails” on their backs, formed from special wing feathers. With a plumage so crazy, they fit into our cartoon bird family perfectly.

King Eider
King Eider by Tim Sackton (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Tomorrow’s new Birdorable will be the third and final “king” bird before Christmas. The silhouette should make this one easy! Can you guess?

Cute King Eider Gifts

Comments

Brandon Nayar on December 23, 2020 at 3:35 PM wrote:
King Penguin
Just Another Birder on December 23, 2020 at 4:15 PM wrote:
It’s a King Penguin!
Birder on December 23, 2020 at 4:25 PM wrote:
king penguin is the answer I think
Birdorable (Arthur) on December 24, 2020 at 1:37 PM wrote:
You're all right 👍 ... it is the King Penguin!

Leave a comment

Comments with links or HTML will be deleted. Your comment will be published pending approval.
Your email address will not be published
You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information on how to unsubscribe, our privacy practices, and how we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy. By clicking submit below, you consent to allow Birdorable to store and process the personal information submitted above to provide you the content requested.

Meet the Comeñame: Puerto Rico's Distinctive Bullfinch

The Puerto Rican Bullfinch, known locally by the common names comeñame, capacho, or carpacho, is a distinctive songbird endemic to Puerto Rico. Measuring around 7 inches in length and weighing just over one ounce, this bird is easily recognized by its bulky figure, and...

Gull Week Fun: Coloring Pages

We're celebrating the gulls of the world this week! These social, intelligent birds can be found all over the world. Today we're sharing some fun gull coloring pages! Gulls tend to have a lot of black, white, and grey in their plumage. The breeding plumage Ross's Gull,...

2016 Bonanza Bird #5: Ovenbird

Today's new species is a relatively large ground-dwelling wood warbler that lives across much of North America: the Ovenbird!Ovenbirds are relatively abundant across their range, which includes much of North America; they are not found in the far west. They are migratory,...

Busting a Bird Myth: Can Owls Rotate Their Heads All the Way Around?

As part of our continuing series on bird myths, today we unravel the truth behind a familiar claim: Owls Can Turn Their Heads 360 Degrees. While this statement stretches the truth by nearly 100 degrees, the reality is no less astonishing. Owls are indeed masters of neck...