Common Eider:
North American sea duck of the cold waters.  Outside of the breeding season, they are only found at sea, where they favor water with a sandy bottom.  They feed heavily on mollusks and small lobsters.  Abandoned eider nest are screened for down, which is collected to make the eider-down pillows.

King Eider:
Another northern sea duck.  The king eider is one of the most beautiful birds in the world.  They are slightly smaller than the common eider.  The females can be distinguished by a short stubby bill and a slightly more rounded head.  They spend most of their lives at sea except for the breeding season, when they head for fresh water.

Harlequin Duck:
Lives in the Pacific northwest and north-eastern Canada along with populations in Iceland and Greenland.  Preferred habitat is the turbulent water of fast flowing rivers, where the beautiful male pattern is broken up against rocks and water.  They are expert swimmers and most adept divers, being the only duck in the northern hemisphere capable of feeding in such fast flowing rivers.  Ducklings also use these rivers.

Old Squaw:
Ranges all across the oceans of the far north.  It is the only member of its genus and bears no close relation to any other duck.  The most accomplished of all diving ducks, reaching depths of more than 20 meters and staying under for more than a minute.  A bird of the open seas, where it is noisy and active.

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Last modified: May 25, 2003