Re: King Eider @ Ft. Fisher area

[Michal Skakuj <mskakuj@nc.rr.com>]

Hi all,

> Turns out it was a 1st winter female King Eider just
> like the one pictured in Sibley's Guide to Birds.

Well, actually the picture of "1st winter female" in Sibley's guide is
not very much accurate. I have studied some 500 of Eiders skins in
collections (US and Europe) and the bird on illustration looks rather
like fresh juvenile (first generation of scapulars, head, flanks and
neck) with adult type belly - dark patch. Juveniles females have belly
lighter and more uniformly colored than flanks (just in opposite than
shown on the illustration)!
Tertials are much too big and too pale fringed, flanks look like a mass
- the should be rather gentle scaly pattern (as it is mentioned on the
picture). Young females start to  show more and more adult type
scapulars and flanks feathers (much more chestnut- rufous comparing to
pale-buff of juveniles) from the end of October. By mid December there
should be 30-80% of new adult type feathers on scapulars and a bit less
on flanks. There is a tendency to have more uniformly pale neck toward
winter-spring in young females (much more whitish in males).
As far as the other King Eider pictures, the 1st winter male is rather
2-3 y.old adult (adult type of tertials) in very strange eclipse plumage
(not winter!). The adult nonbreeding never look such "nice and clear"
dark.
Adult female has distinct white bar on greater coverts, in most cases
well visible when on the water.
That "wings" on scapulars in adult male are definitely not that shape as
it is shown.

Well, anyway looks like the plates with Eiders (juvenile Steller's looks
much more like some very old females from breeding grounds, except very,
very strange tertials - never seen anything like that!) are not finished
yet (as well as many others...) and show too many mistakes. As far as
ducks, gulls and shorebirds (East coast) the Birds of Europe by
Mullarney at all. is much, much better (old good Jonsson as well).

Mike


************************************************
Michal Skakuj  Ph.D.
4600 University Drive apt. 1312
Durham, NC 27707
phone:        919 402 9961
mobile phone: 919 599 3040