Description

This large, stocky duck weighs between 3½ and 4½ pounds, and is 19 to 25 inches long. Outside of the breeding season both sexes are similar, but the male has blackish wings with white patches on the forewings. During the breeding season the male is black and white with a brightly colored head, light blue crown and nape, greenish face, and bright red-orange bill with large orange knob outlined with black. The female is brown with black barring.

<img src="graphics/kingeider3.gif" alt="distribution of the King Eider in North America" align="left" hspace="0"