The Common Eider inhabits Arctic and subarctic coastal marine habitats in a circumpolar distribution that includes Russia, northern Europe, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. The species spends its entire life cycle in marine environments: it nests in large colonies, mostly on marine islands, and forms large aggregations in inshore coastal regions outside of the breeding season. There are 4 subspecies of Common Eider worldwide: Pacific (S.m. v-nigra), Northern (S.m. borealis), Hudson Bay (S.m. sedentaria), and American (S.m. dresseri). Information on population size and trends for the Common Eider, as for most sea ducks, is largely unreliable because of the remoteness of the breeding and wintering areas, as well as the lack of regular population surveys. In the Canadian Arctic, Common Eiders are harvested for Aboriginal subsistence purposes (adults, eggs, and down), and the portion of the population that over-winters in Greenland are subject to subsistence and commercial harvests. They are also harvested recreationally, and their down is collected for commercial purposes. Data suggest that some populations have declined significantly in some regions; the harvest must be carefully monitored to ensure the long-term sustainability of the population. The harvest of this species in Canada has been highly variable since the 1990s, although overall, there has been a gradual decline in harvesting. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.
Emerging threats for the Common Eider include epidemic outbreaks, increased shipping though Hudson Strait, declines in prey abundance (Sorte et al. 2017), thiamine deficiency (Balk et al. 2016, Gilbert 2018), mortality from oil spills, and high harvest in Newfoundland (Goudie et al. 2000, Robertson et al. 2014). Increased egg and chick predation and/or nest desertion due to disturbance has always been a concern, as reduced sea ice is forcing polar bears to search for alternate prey on land; ground-nesting seabirds are easy targets (Kuletz et al. 2017). It is believed that increasing resource development in Canadian Arctic breeding areas will likely result in increased human activity and have potential adverse effects on Common Eider populations. In Canada, Common Eiders are harvested recreationally, commercially (down collection), and for Aboriginal subsistence purposes. In some regions, data suggest that harvest needs to be carefully monitored to ensure it remains sustainable (Gilliland et al. 2009).
Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:
Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.