Common eider

The common eider is a large sea duck, 50 to 71 centimeters in body length, in the family Anatidae, distributed over the northern coasts of Europe, North America and eastern Siberia; it breeds in Arctic regions and winters farther south, and can fly at speeds up to 113 kilometers per hour. It is the largest of the four eider species: males show black and white plumage with a green nape, while females are brown, with a bulky body, a large wedge-shaped bill and a distinctive head shape; subspecies vary in bill color from yellowish-green to bright orange-yellow. Adults weigh 0.81 to 3.04 kilograms with a wingspan of 80 to 110 centimeters. The species is well known for its down, historically harvested for bedding, and the IUCN lists it as Near Threatened.