Common Eider Duckling
Somateria mollissima (duckling)
Common Eider ducklings leave their ground nest soon after hatching and follow their mother along sheltered northern coasts, rocky islands, and cold shallows. They swim readily and feed on tiny crustaceans, insect larvae, and other small aquatic invertebrates near the surface. Their brown-and-cream down provides camouflage among seaweed and shore vegetation, but they depend on the adult female for warmth and protection during their first weeks.
- Type
- Water
- Conservation status
- NT
Growth chain
- Common Eider Duckling
- Common Eider