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BPW: Common Eider Duckling

by John Briggs on June 1, 2009

in Bird Photographs, Bird Photography Weekly, Blog

Common Eider Chick | Click photo for larger view

Common Eider Chick | Click photo for larger view

Enjoying a beautiful Monday morning on the Merriconeag Neck, I spotted four female Common Eider adults on Card Cove. A single Eider duckling was with them, feeding along a lobster dock. Normally, one would see 10 to 20 ducklings when there are 4 females but Black-backed Gulls and Bald Eagles snatch up the chicks for a quick meal.

When danger arises, adults form a tight ring around the ducklings to protect them from attack. They do this with the help of “Aunties” which are females without young which assist brood-caring females in defending a brood.

A recent study in the Bay of Fundy showed exceptionally high depredation rates by Great Black-backed Gulls on Eider ducklings  and at one colony only 12 of 3000 ducklings produced in this colony fledged. High duckling mortality is a common phenomenon in Eiders and survival of ducklings does not apparently regulate Common Eider population numbers; however, it may potentially limit the growth rate of the population.

I can’t help wonder if this duckling will make it to adulthood.

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» Stumpy, an 8-day-old duckling born in Britain, has a rare mutation: 4 legs imaginings
June 9, 2009 at 5:07 pm

{ 11 comments }

1 Dawn Fine June 1, 2009 at 1:03 pm

Ok I looked again! Great photo…I sure hope that little one makes it into adulthood.

2 gwendolen June 1, 2009 at 2:54 pm

They are far too cute to be gull food.

The one I saw that became a snack, was in a crèche of about 50 ducklings. There were about 6 female ducks protecting them, but … alas.

3 Tom June 1, 2009 at 2:55 pm

Wow, cute duckling, I hope it makes it.

4 Mick June 1, 2009 at 3:39 pm

Lovely photo of a cute baby! Hope it makes it!

5 Vickie June 1, 2009 at 8:56 pm

Beautiful duckling. That sounds like such a large number of ducklings for predators. Makes one wonder how any survive. But somehow…

6 Larry Jordan June 2, 2009 at 1:14 am

Very cute John. We are all pulling for the little one! Great capture with the crystal clear, emerald water for a backdrop.

(Still waiting for Wildbird Weekend ;-)

7 Kim June 2, 2009 at 5:34 am

John, what a sight to wake up to. So cute!!!!!!

8 The Zen Birdfeeder June 2, 2009 at 1:01 pm

Very high cute factor!

9 shelley June 2, 2009 at 8:55 pm

A beautiful clear shot of this duckling. Sad to hear that many of their babies don’t make it. I hope this one does!

10 Arija June 3, 2009 at 10:28 am

A lovely post, I like your comments about the protectiveness of the birds too.

11 Steve B June 12, 2009 at 4:33 pm

How cool, we don’t get the Chicks in Gloucester Harbor. Nice.

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