The Common Eider

by Chris Waltho, John Coulson

Overview

A common sight around the more northerly shores of the British Isles, the Common Eider is the largest duck in the northern hemisphere. The eider is particularly well adapted to cold-water environments; the insulating properties of eider down are iconic. The species is taxonomically interesting, with a range of well-marked subspecies reflecting the patterns of ice coverage during ancient glaciations, and these ducks have also provided the focus for a number of important behavioural studies, especially on feeding ecology and energy budgets.

Eiders have a long association with humans, and have deep cultural significance in many societies. However, modern lifestyles are exposing these ducks to a wide range of new pressures.

This monograph provides a comprehensive portrait of the Common Eider; authors Chris Waltho and John Coulson bring together an extensive and diverse international literature, with sections on taxonomy, habitats, breeding biology, population dynamics, diet and foraging, dispersal and migration, and conservation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781408152805
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	01/15/2015
Series:	Poyser Monographs
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
File size:	24 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Chris Waltho has studied eiders for more than thirty years, with his research based around the Firth of Clyde, home to the largest population in the British Isles. An experienced aerial surveyor of seaducks and divers, Chris has been the president of the Scottish Ornithologist's Club since 2007.

Over more than 40 years of research, John Coulson has made outstanding contributions to the behavioral ecology of colonially breeding seabirds and our understanding of coloniality in birds. A former Reader in Zoology at the University of Durham, Coulson was awarded the Godman-Savin Medal by the British Ornithologists' Union in 1992.
Chris Waltho has studied eiders for more than thirty years, with his research based around the Firth of Clyde, home to the largest population in the British Isles. An experienced aerial surveyor of seaducks and divers, Chris has been the president of the Scottish Ornithologist's Club since 2007.
John Coulson has made a number of outstanding contributions to the behavioural ecology of colonially breeding seabirds and to our understanding of coloniality in birds, over the course of more than 50 years of research.

A former Reader in Animal Ecology at the University of Durham, John was awarded the degree of Doctor of Science by that institution in 1972 for his contributions to ecological research. He received the Godman-Salvin Medal from
the British Ornithologists' Union in 1992, and the Robert Cushman Murphy award from the Waterbird Society in 1993. John has published more than 150 scientific papers, and has served as editor of Bird Study, Ibis and Waterbirds. He has served on several government review panels, was a council member of the Natural Environmental Research Council, and continues consulting on environmental issues.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 7

Introduction 11

1 Common Eider-some key features 13

2 Origins, taxonomy and differentiation 37

3 Distribution, movements and numbers 59

4 Food and feeding 99

5 Predators, parasites and diseases 131

6 Breeding and breeding season 148

7 Egg laying, parasitism, 'jumbo clutches' and egg stealing 164

8 Clutch size 181

9 Incubation and hatching success 199

10 Nesting with others: Is the Common Eider really a colonial species? 210

11 Ducklings 219

12 Mortality, survival and non-breeding 233

13 Exploitation, management and conservation 258

14 The eiders: comparisons between species 276

Appendix 1 Schematic distribution of the Common Eider and its subspecies 306

Appendix 2 Important conservation sites for the Common Eider 308

Appendix 3 Prey species taken by common Eiders 313

Appendix 4 Prey dominance in Common Eider diet 317

Appendix 5 The number of eggs recorded in samples of Common Eider nests on Inner Farne, Northumberland, 1958 to 2011 325

Appendix 6 Duckling growth 327

Appendix 7 Scientific names of species mentioned in the text 331

References 332

Index 347

Editorial Reviews

Poyser monographs never seem to dip below an incredibly high bar. Excellent!” —Fat Birder

“A great read about a bird that was the world's first protected species, way back in 676 AD.” —Birdwatching Magazine

From the Publisher