Waterfowl

Spectacled Eider

Scientists have learned a lot of new information about the threatened spectacled eiders in the past few years. Until recently, the locations of wintering grounds of this bird were suspected, but not known. With the combination of satellite tracking and aerial surveys, the summer, fall, and winter hang-outs of this northern seaduck are being documented. In 1995, biologists made an exciting new discovery related to the winter habits of the spectacled eider. Most spectacled eiders breed in Russia, but several thousand breed on both the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta and the North Slope. The population on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta used to be much larger. One cause for the bird's decline there may be lead poisoning from hunter's shotgun pellets. This bird breeds on arctic coastal tundra, and spends the winter in the frigid, but fertile Bering Sea. Learn More

Projects and Related Reports

• North American Breeding Waterfowl Survey in Alaska.
• Expanded Aerial Surveys of Waterfowl in Alaska
• North Slope Common Eider Survey Reports for the year:
  • 1999 (pdf)
  • 2000 (pdf)
  • 2001 (pdf)
  • 2002 (pdf)
  • 2003 (pdf)
  • 2004 (pdf)
  • 2005 (pdf)
  • 2006 (pdf)
  • 2007 (pdf)
• Molting and Wintering Spectacled Eider Surveys. Exciting Discovery
• Southwest Alaska Steller's Eider Survey
• Waterbird/Oilspill Impact Modeling Project
• Arctic Coastal Plain Aerial Breeding Waterfowl Survey
• Arctic Coastal Plain Eider Survey
• Yukon Delta Aerial Breeding Waterfowl Survey

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Last Updated: September 15, 2008