The King Eider is one of my favorite ducks. The coloring of the adult male is incredible. During the winter months, I consider myself lucky if I see one or two.
Even luckier if they are close enough for me to snap a photo. I was lucky enough to see this King Eider mixed among Common Eiders in Gloucester Harbor.
Every winter, the King Eider, a rare Arctic migrant, visits the Massachusetts coast. While normally found amid icy northern seas, small numbers of these birds travel south in search of open water and food. For Massachusetts birdwatchers, spotting a King Eider is an exciting event.
Adult male King Eiders are strikingly colored with black bodies, white breasts and bulbous multicolored bills.
Their brick-red foreheads, piercing blue eyes and yellow, orange and indigo heads give them a regal appearance. Females and juveniles have more inconspicuous brown, black and white plumage.
These sea ducks frequent Massachusetts coastal waters from late fall to early spring when their Arctic habitat freezes. Here they dive for crustaceans, mollusks and small fish, preferring areas with abundant food sources and frigid water temperatures.
The Marblehead Current is proud to partner with photographer Rick Cuzner. For the past 16 years, he has taken thousands of nature photographs.
