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Threatened and Endangered SpeciesSteller's eider(Polysticta stelleri) |
StatusThreatened - Alaska breeding population (Federal Register, June 11, 1997)
Steller's eiders are the smallest of the four eider species, averaging 43-47 centimeters long (17-18.5 inches). In the winter and spring, adult males are in breeding plumage with a black back, white shoulders, chestnut breast and belly, a white head with a greenish tuft, and small black eye patches. During the late summer and fall, males are entirely mottled dark brown. Females and juveniles are mottled dark brown year-round. Adults of both sexes have a blue patch with a white border on the upper wing, similar to a mallard.
Steller's eiders breed in northern Russia and northern and western Alaska. Although formerly considered locally common at a few sites on both the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta and the arctic coastal plain of Alaska, they have nearly disappeared from most nesting areas in Alaska. Single nests of Steller's eiders were found on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in 1994, 1996, and 1997, suggesting existence of a very small remnant population. Historical reports of nesting Steller's eiders on the Aleutian Islands and Alaska Peninsula are unconfirmed and not substantiated by recent observations. Evidence of nesting by Steller's eiders has not been reported on the Seward Peninsula since the late 1800's, or on St. Lawrence Island since 1954. Current primary nesting range in Alaska consists of a portion of the central arctic coastal plain between Wainwright and Prudhoe Bay, primarily near Barrow. In Russia, Steller's eiders nest along the arctic coast from the Chukotski Peninsula west to the Taimyr, Gaydan, and Yamal peninsulas. Biologists estimate that the world population of Steller's eiders is around 220,000 birds, the majority of which nest in Russia. The number of pairs nesting on Alaska's arctic coastal plain is very roughly estimated at 1,000. Approximately 4,000 pairs of Steller's eiders may have nested on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta prior to the 1960's. Overall, the worldwide population of Steller's eiders may have decreased by as much as 50% over the last 30 years. Most Steller's eiders breeding in Alaska and Russia migrate south after breeding to molt along the coast of Alaska from Nunivak Island to Cold Bay, primarily in Izembek Lagoon, Nelson Lagoon, and near the Seal Islands. At least 150,000 Steller's eiders, the majority of the world population, winter in Alaska from the eastern Aleutian Islands to Lower Cook Inlet. About 30,000 birds winter in eastern Russia in the Commander and Kuril islands, and an estimated 40,000 winter in northeastern Europe along the coasts of Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Norway and Sweden. During their northward spring migration from wintering areas in Alaska, Steller's eiders can be found in large flocks close to shore from northern Bristol Bay to Hooper Bay.
Steller's eiders are diving ducks that spend most of the year in shallow, near-shore marine waters. Molting and wintering flocks congregate in protected lagoons and bays, as well as along rocky headlands and islets. They feed by diving and dabbling for molluscs and crustaceans in shallow water. In summer, they nest on coastal tundra adjacent to small ponds or within drained lake basins. During the breeding season they feed on aquatic insects and plants in freshwater ponds and streams.
Causes of the decline world-wide and in Alaska are not known. Lead poisoning, caused by eiders ingesting spent lead shot as they feed, may have affected Steller's eiders on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Predation by ravens, large gulls, and foxes on the breeding grounds may be increasing in areas where populations of these predators are enhanced by the year-round food and shelter provided by human activities and garbage dumps. Hunting also poses a threat to Steller's eiders. Disturbance and loss of nesting habitat due to oil and gas development may have occurred in Siberia. Increased shipping traffic poses the risk of oil spills and disturbance of feeding flocks in marine waters. Other possible causes of the decline include marine contaminants and changes in the Bering Sea ecosystem affecting food availability, but there is currently very little information about the effects of these factors on Steller's eiders.
Management
and ProtectionTo protect Steller's eiders and their breeding, molting, and wintering habitat, the U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service recommends the guidelines below for projects and activities within the range of Steller's eiders. Adherence to these guidelines will help avoid the illegal take of Steller's eiders, and reduce the potential for adverse effects to the species. If these guidelines cannot be followed, consultation with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is required. Under federal law, all federal agencies must consult with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service on any project they authorize, fund, or carry out that may affect Steller's eiders or other listed species.
For projects within the breeding range of Steller's eiders:
Assess whether Steller's eiders are likely to use the project area for nesting or brood-rearing. Contact the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for assistance. For projects conducted during the breeding season, a Service-approved survey for Steller's eiders should be conducted in the year of construction, prior to initiation of activities.
If Steller's eider nests are in the project area, the following activities require special permits within 200 meters (656 feet) of nest sites:
Eiders are present on breeding grounds from mid-May through mid-September, but activities any time of year may affect them through habitat modification.
For projects in coastal marine waters around the Alaska peninsula. Kodiak Island, lower Cook Inlet, and Nunivak Island, contact the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Ecological Services Fairbanks Field Office for guidelines and recommendations.
Hunting of eiders is regulated under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. In Russia, hunting Steller's eiders has been closed since 1981, but subsistence harvest occurs in Siberia at an unknown level. In Alaska, reported subsistence harvest on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta has averaged 34 Steller's eiders over the past six years. Sport hunting of Steller's eiders in Alaska has been closed since 1991. Non-toxic shot must be used for all waterfowl hunting. Use of lead shot for waterfowl hunting has been prohibited throughout the United States since 1991.