Photos copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Iceland • May 2011

Bird name: Common Eider
Latin: Somateria mollissima
Other: Eiderente (De) • Eidereend (Nl) • Ejder (Sv)
Family: Anatidae • Ducks, Eiders
Range: Iceland, Northern Europe, north Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
Similar: King Eider

The Common Eider is an attractive duck, apparently common around Reykjavik in May. Characterised by a thick bill, with “nail” at end.

The female is mottled brown, so quite different from the male in colour.





Below, a female Common Eider.
More photos...

014 Family: Anatidae • Swans, Ducks, Geese - IOC 2.5 - 2010

Dendrocygna viduata - White-faced Whistling Duck - Widespread Africa, South America
Dendrocygna autumnalis - Black-bellied Whistling Duck - SE Texas to N Argentina
Dendrocygna guttata - Spotted Whistling Duck - Philippines to New Guinea
Dendrocygna arborea - West Indian Whistling Duck - West Indies
Dendrocygna bicolor - Fulvous Whistling Duck - Widespread North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia
Dendrocygna eytoni - Plumed Whistling Duck - Australia
Dendrocygna arcuata - Wandering Whistling Duck - Philippines to Australia
Dendrocygna javanica - Lesser Whistling Duck - Widespread Asia

Thalassornis leuconotus - White-backed Duck - Widespread Africa

Cereopsis novaehollandiae - Cape Barren Goose - S Australia

Anser cygnoides - Swan Goose - E Eurasia - SE China
Anser fabalis - Taiga Bean Goose - N Eurasia - SE China, C Europe - Anser fabalis new name
Anser serrirostris - Tundra Bean Goose - N Eurasia - Anser serrirostris now split from A. fabalis
Anser brachyrhynchus - Pink-footed Goose - NW Eurasia
Anser anser - Greylag Goose - C, W Eurasia - N Asia
Anser albifrons - Greater White-fronted Goose - Widespread North America, Middle America, Eurasia
Anser erythropus - Lesser White-fronted Goose - N Eurasia - SE Europe, E China
Anser indicus - Bar-headed Goose - C Eurasia - N India

Chen caerulescens - Snow Goose - N North America - S, W South America, N Mexico
Chen rossii - Ross's Goose - N North America - S, W South America, N Mexico
Chen canagica - Emperor Goose - W Alaska, NE Siberia

Branta canadensis - Canada Goose - Widespread North America
Branta hutchinsii - Cackling Goose - C Canada - Texas, N Mexico
Branta sandvicensis - Nene - Hawaiian Islands
Branta bernicla - Brant Goose - Widespread North America, Eurasia
Branta leucopsis - Barnacle Goose - NW Eurasia
Branta ruficollis - Red-breasted Goose - N Eurasia - SE Europe

Coscoroba coscoroba - Coscoroba Swan - Southern Cone

Cygnus atratus - Black Swan - Australia, New Zealand
Cygnus melancoryphus - Black-necked Swan - Southern Cone - Was Cygnus melanocoryphus
Cygnus olor - Mute Swan - Europe to C Asia - N Africa, India
Cygnus buccinator - Trumpeter Swan - NW North America - C North America
Cygnus columbianus - Tundra Swan - N Eurasia, North America - S EU, S, C North America
Cygnus cygnus - Whooper Swan - N Eurasia - W Europe, E China

Stictonetta naevosa - Freckled Duck - SE, SW Australia

Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos - Blue Duck - New Zealand

Tachyeres patachonicus - Flying Steamer Duck - S South America
Tachyeres pteneres - Fuegian Steamer Duck - S South America
Tachyeres brachypterus - Falkland Steamer Duck - Falkland Islands
Tachyeres leucocephalus - Chubut Steamer Duck - SE Argentina

Merganetta armata - Torrent Duck - Venezuela to C Chile & W Argentina

Plectropterus gambensis - Spur-winged Goose - Widespread Africa

Sarkidiornis sylvicola - Comb Duck - Widespread South America
Sarkidiornis melanotos - Knob-billed Duck - Widespread Africa, Asia

Cyanochen cyanoptera - Blue-winged Goose - NE Africa

Alopochen aegyptiaca - Egyptian Goose - Widespread Africa

Neochen jubata - Orinoco Goose - Amazonia

Chloephaga melanoptera - Andean Goose - Peru to S Chile & Argentina
Chloephaga picta - Upland Goose - Southern Cone
Chloephaga hybrida - Kelp Goose - S South America
Chloephaga poliocephala - Ashy-headed Goose - Southern Cone
Chloephaga rubidiceps - Ruddy-headed Goose - S South America

Tadorna tadorna - Common Shelduck - Widespread Eurasia, Africa - N Africa, N India, S China
Tadorna radjah - Raja Shelduck - N Australia, New Guinea
Tadorna ferruginea - Ruddy Shelduck - C, S Eurasia - N Africa, Asia
Tadorna cana - South African Shelduck - S Africa
Tadorna tadornoides - Australian Shelduck - Australia
Tadorna variegata - Paradise Shelduck - New Zealand

Malacorhynchus membranaceus - Pink-eared Duck - Australia

Salvadorina waigiuensis - Salvadori's Teal - New Guinea

Cairina moschata - Muscovy Duck - S Texas to N Argentina

Asarcornis scutulata - White-winged Duck - Southeast Asia, Sumatra

Pteronetta hartlaubii - Hartlaub's Duck - W, WC Africa

Aix sponsa - Wood Duck - Widespread North America - S South America to N Mexico
Aix galericulata - Mandarin Duck - E Eurasia - SE China

Chenonetta jubata - Maned Duck - Australia

Nettapus auritus - African Pygmy Goose - Widespread Africa
Nettapus coromandelianus - Cotton Pygmy Goose - Widespread Asia - Australasia
Nettapus pulchellus - Green Pygmy Goose - New Guinea, N Australia

Amazonetta brasiliensis - Brazilian Teal - Amazonia, SE South America

Callonetta leucophrys - Ringed Teal - SC South America

Lophonetta specularioides - Crested Duck - S South America

Speculanas specularis - Bronze-winged Duck - Southern Cone

Anas capensis - Cape Teal - C, SC, S Africa - W Africa
Anas strepera - Gadwall - Widespread North America, Eurasia - Central America, Africa, N Asia
Anas falcata - Falcated Duck - E Eurasia - SE China, C Europe
Anas sibilatrix - Chiloe Wigeon - Southern Cone
Anas penelope - Eurasian Wigeon - N Eurasia - Africa, N Asia
Anas americana - American Wigeon - Widespread North America - Central America
Anas sparsa - African Black Duck - Widespread Africa
Anas rubripes - American Black Duck - NE, C, E North America
Anas platyrhynchos - Mallard - Widespread North America, Eurasia - Mexico, N Africa, Australasia, N Asia
Anas fulvigula - Mottled Duck - SC, SE North America
Anas diazi - Mexican Duck - SW US to N, C Mexico highlands - Mexican Duck Anas diazi related to Black and Mottled Ducks
Anas wyvilliana - Hawaiian Duck - Hawaiian Islands
Anas laysanensis - Laysan Duck - Laysan Island
Anas luzonica - Philippine Duck - Philippines
Anas superciliosa - Pacific Black Duck - Widespread Australasia
Anas poecilorhyncha - Indian Spot-billed Duck - S, SE Asia from  Pakistan, S to Sri Lanka, E to Laos and N to SW Yunnan
Anas zonorhyncha - Eastern Spot-billed Duck - China, Southeast Asia
Anas undulata - Yellow-billed Duck - EC, SC, S Africa
Anas melleri - Meller's Duck - Madagascar
Anas discors - Blue-winged Teal - N, C North America - Central America, N South America
Anas cyanoptera - Cinnamon Teal - W North America to S South America
Anas smithii - Cape Shoveler - S Africa
Anas platalea - Red Shoveler - S South America
Anas rhynchotis - Australasian Shoveler - Australia, New Zealand
Anas clypeata - Northern Shoveler - Widespread North America, Eurasia - Central America, Africa, Asia
Anas bernieri - Bernier's Teal - Madagascar
Anas gibberifrons - Sunda Teal - Indonesia
Anas albogularis - Andaman Teal - Andaman Is., Cocos Is. Asia - Split from A. gibberifrons
Anas gracilis - Grey Teal - Widespread Australasia
Anas castanea - Chestnut Teal - Australia
Anas aucklandica - Auckland Teal - Auckland Islands - Was Brown Teal
Anas nesiotis - Campbell Teal - Campbell Islands - Split from A. aucklandica
Anas chlorotis - Brown Teal - New Zealand - Split from A. aucklandica
Anas bahamensis - White-cheeked Pintail - South America, also Caribbean
Anas erythrorhyncha - Red-billed Teal - E, SC, S Africa
Anas flavirostris - Yellow-billed Teal - W, S South America - Anas flavirostris includes ssp oxyptera now Yellow-billed Teal
Anas andium - Andean Teal - Colombia, Ecuador - Split from A. flavirostris
Anas georgica - Yellow-billed Pintail - W, S South America - Anas georgica of South Georgia includes ssp spinicauda, species?
Anas acuta - Northern Pintail - N North America, Eurasia - Central America, Asia, Africa
Anas eatoni - Eaton's Pintail - Kerguelen Islands
Anas querquedula - Garganey - W, C, E Eurasia - W, C Africa, Asia
Anas formosa - Baikal Teal - N Eurasia - SE China, Japan
Anas crecca - Eurasian Teal - Widespread Eurasia - Africa, N Asia
Anas carolinensis - Green-winged Teal - Widespread North America - Central America
Anas versicolor - Silver Teal - S South America
Anas puna - Puna Teal - Peru to NW Argentina
Anas hottentota - Hottentot Teal - E, SE, S, WC Africa

Marmaronetta angustirostris - Marbled Duck - W, C Eurasia - Africa

Netta rufina - Red-crested Pochard - W, C Eurasia - N India
Netta peposaca - Rosy-billed Pochard - S South America
Netta erythrophthalma - Southern Pochard - E, SE, S Africa; Amazonia

Aythya valisineria - Canvasback - Widespread North America - Central America
Aythya americana - Redhead - Widespread North America - Central America
Aythya ferina - Common Pochard - W, C Eurasia - Africa, N Asia
Aythya australis - Hardhead - Australia
Aythya innotata - Madagascar Pochard - Madagascar
Aythya baeri - Baer's Pochard - E Eurasia - S China, Southeast Asia
Aythya nyroca - Ferruginous Duck - W, C Eurasia - Africa
Aythya novaeseelandiae - New Zealand Scaup - New Zealand
Aythya collaris - Ring-necked Duck - Widespread North America - Central America
Aythya fuligula - Tufted Duck - Widespread Eurasia - Africa, N Asia
Aythya marila - Greater Scaup - Widespread North America, Eurasia
Aythya affinis - Lesser Scaup - Widespread North America - Central America

Polysticta stelleri - Steller's Eider - Siberia, Alaska - N Pacific

Somateria fischeri - Spectacled Eider - Siberia, Alaska - N Pacific
Somateria spectabilis - King Eider - N North America, Eurasia - N Atlantic, N Pacific
Somateria mollissima - Common Eider - N North America, Eurasia - N Atlantic, N Pacific - Some Common Eider ssp eg Pacific Eider S. m. v-nigrum species?

Histrionicus histrionicus - Harlequin Duck - N North America, Eurasia - N Atlantic, N Pacific

Melanitta perspicillata - Surf Scoter - N North America - W Atlantic, N,e Pacific
Melanitta fusca - Velvet Scoter - N Eurasia - E Atlantic, W Pacific
Melanitta deglandi - White-winged Scoter - N North America - W Atlantic, E Pacific - Split from M. fusca
Melanitta nigra - Common Scoter - N Eurasia - E Atlantic
Melanitta americana - Black Scoter - N North America - W Atlantic. E Pacific - Split from M. nigra

Clangula hyemalis - Long-tailed Duck - Siberia to N Canada - N Atlantic, N Pacific

Bucephala albeola - Bufflehead - N North America - to Mexico
Bucephala clangula - Common Goldeneye - Widespread North America, Eurasia
Bucephala islandica - Barrow's Goldeneye - NW, NE, North America, also Iceland

Mergellus albellus - Smew - Widespread Eurasia - S, E China

Lophodytes cucullatus - Hooded Merganser - Widespread North America

Mergus octosetaceus - Brazilian Merganser - E, SC South America
Mergus merganser - Common Merganser - Widespread North America, Eurasia
Mergus serrator - Red-breasted Merganser - Widespread North America, Eurasia
Mergus squamatus - Scaly-sided Merganser - E Eurasia

Heteronetta atricapilla - Black-headed Duck - SC South America

Nomonyx dominicus - Masked Duck - Widespread Latin America

Oxyura jamaicensis - Ruddy Duck - Widespread North America, Middle America
Oxyura ferruginea - Andean Duck - Colombia to Southern Cone - Split from O. jamaicensis
Oxyura vittata - Lake Duck - Southern Cone
Oxyura australis - Blue-billed Duck - Australia
Oxyura maccoa - Maccoa Duck - E, S Africa
Oxyura leucocephala - White-headed Duck - SW, C Eurasia

Biziura lobata - Musk Duck - SW, SE Australia