Abstract
Of the various species of orth
American waterfowl , one of the most
beautiful is Somateria fischeri, the
Spectacled Eider Duck. It is also one
of the least well known , and one that
is seen but infrequently by observers.
The lack of familiarity is due to their
remote distribution . During the
breeding season they inhabit the low
coastal tundras adjacent to the Bering
Sea, especially the Yukon/Kuskoquim
Delta or southwestern Alaska. This is
a vast area of low, open tundra characterized
by thousands of small, shallow
ponds and lakes. Vegetation is
short, turfy grasses and low arctic
shrubs. It is an area that teems with
wildlife, and some of the Spectacled
Eider 's neighbors are such species as
Emperor, Cackling , White-fronted
and Pacific Black Brant Geese, Tundra
(Whistling) Swans, Lesser Sandhill
Cranes, myriads of shore birds, and
various other wildlife forms . It is the
only area in North America where
one can see the Bristle-thighed
Curlew. Due to the remoteness of the
area , other than the few native
Eskimos, it is infrequently visited by
humans. One of the ornithological
mysteries surrounding North American
waterfowl is where the Spectacled
Eider spends its winters. Once
the birds depart the breeding
grounds, little if anything has been
documented. It is presumed they may
spend their winters somewhere on
the Bering Sea, perhaps on the ice
shelves at the edge of the ice pack,
but as yet this remains unproven.