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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Ok I looked again! Great photo…I sure hope that little one makes it into adulthood.
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.
Wow, cute duckling, I hope it makes it.
Lovely photo of a cute baby! Hope it makes it!
Beautiful duckling. That sounds like such a large number of ducklings for predators. Makes one wonder how any survive. But somehow…
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
John, what a sight to wake up to. So cute!!!!!!
Very high cute factor!
A beautiful clear shot of this duckling. Sad to hear that many of their babies don’t make it. I hope this one does!
A lovely post, I like your comments about the protectiveness of the birds too.
How cool, we don’t get the Chicks in Gloucester Harbor. Nice.
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