
Deep Blue Eyes - Spectacled Eider

by KJ Swan
Title
Deep Blue Eyes - Spectacled Eider
Artist
KJ Swan
Medium
Photograph
Description
The Spectacled Eider (Somateria fischeri) lives where it snows 11 months of the year and winter temperatures drop to minus 20. This gorgeous duck, with amazing deep blue eyes, inhabits the narrow coastal areas of Alaska, Yukon and northeastern Siberia.
As a male Spectacled Eider matures, he transforms from a tawny-brown chick into the full glory of a mature drake. A breeding drake has a pale green head, bright orange bill and white spectacle-like patches around the eyes. In contrast, hens have a gray-blue bill, brown feathers and light brown spectacles.
Unfortunately, the Spectacled eider populations have significantly declined since the 1970's due, in part, to climate changes. They need ice packs to extend feeding ranges but for now, populations are considered stable.
Uploaded
December 24th, 2019
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