The Status and Occurrence of King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) in British Columbia.  By Rick Toochin. Published: November 15, 2024.

The King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) is a spectacular sea duck that is found as a haloarctic breeding species (Palmer 1976).  This species nests on the ground, sometimes in shelter of a rock or hummock, usually near water (Cramp and Simmons 1977), but sometimes in dry areas away from water (Bray 1943, Parmelee et al. 1967). The King Eider has a broad diet. At sea, consumes mostly mollusks, crustaceans, echinoderms, and algae (Preble and McAtee 1923b, Palmer 1976, Cramp and Simmons 1977, Bustnes and Erikstad 1988, Frimer 1997, Merkel et al. 2007); in the nesting areas, eats vegetable matter such as sedges, buttercups [Ranunculus sp.], bur reeds [Sparganium sp.]) and animal matter like larvae of aquatic insects and crustaceans (Manniche 1910, Hanson et al. 1956b, Bergman et al. 1977, Oppel et al. 2011).

In North America there are two main breeding populations with one found in the western Arctic and the second in the eastern Arctic (Mehl et al. 2004, Mehl et al. 2005). East Victoria Island is the easternmost breeding range for birds wintering in Pacific Ocean (Dickson 2012a). Also breeds in the Bering Sea, occasionally on St. Lawrence Island, in Alaska (Fay and Cade 1959) and Seward Peninsula, in Alaska (Kessel 1989), and perhaps on St. Matthew Island, in Alaska, but no documented breeding there since 1916 (Hanna 1917a, Winker et al. 2002).

The western limit of the breeding population that winters in Bering Sea region are birds that are most likely from the Taymyr Peninsula, in Russia (Phillips and Powell 2006, Bustnes et al. 2010, Dickson 2012a).

The King Eider breeds along the arctic coasts of Alaska and northern Canada from the Cape Lisburne region of Alaska east to Melville Peninsula, in the Nunavut Territory (Palmer 1976, Godfrey 1986). The breeding range extends from Banks Island, Victoria Island, and Baffin Islands north throughout islands of Canadian Arctic to Prince Patrick Island, Lougheed Island, and northern Ellesmere Island, but apparently not into the interior portions of Baffin Island, Devon Island, or Ellesmere Island (Abraham and Finney 1986). This species rare on Ellef Ringnes Island in the high eastern Canadian Arctic, but not known to breed there (Powell and Suydam 2020).

The King Eider also breeds south through islands of Hudson and James Bays (including Southampton Island, Coats Island, Mansel Island, Belcher Island, and South Twin Island), and along western coast of Hudson Bay, but despite presence of summering birds, there are only a few breeding records for Manitoba and Ontario (Godfrey 1986). The first documented breeding record for Manitoba was found in 1977 at the Mast River delta, in La Perouse Bay (Abraham and Cooke 1979). In Ontario, breeding has only been documented in the Cape Henrietta Maria region (Cooke and Hussell 1987). The King Eider breeds locally along the coast of northern Quebec with records from Cap du Prince-de-Galles, Kogaluc River, and southwestern Ungava Bay (Hildebrand 1950, Lamothe and Choinière 1996), and probably in northern Labrador (Palmer 1976, Godfrey 1986). 

In Europe and the Palearctic, the King Eider breeds in low numbers across northern Finland, northern Sweden, and northern Norway, and more abundantly across arctic Russia from the Kanin Peninsula to the Chukotka Peninsula, including islands of Kolguyev, Spitsbergen, and Novaya Zemlya (Cramp and Simmons 1977). Iceland is outside the species normal breeding range, but males occur there regularly accompanying female Common Eiders (Palmer 1973, Palmer 1976). Also breeds along northern halves of western and eastern coasts of Greenland (Palmer 1976, Mosbech et al. 2006, Dunn and Alderfer 2011).

The King Eider is one of the first sea duck species to migrate north in spring (Powell and Suydam 2020). The western populations of King Eiders stage in the Bering Sea off Khatyrka and Chukotka Peninsula, in Russia, and in Bristol Bay in southwestern Alaska, the eastern Chukchi Sea, and in the southeastern Beaufort Sea from late March to mid-June on route to breeding grounds (Phillips et al. 2007a, Oppel et al. 2009a, Larned and Bollinger 2011, Dickson 2012a). In the eastern Chukchi Sea, in Ledyard Bay is an important staging area; used for 21 days ± between mid-April and early June (Phillips et al. 2007a, Oppel and Powell 2009). For example, all 62 King Eiders marked with satellite transmitters in a study were migrating to their breeding grounds in northern Alaska and western Canada, and 55% or 11 males were found migrating to their breeding grounds in Siberia, used this area for at least 1 week during spring (Oppel et al. 2009a).

Once past Barrow, King Eiders breeding in northern Alaska and western Canada stage in the Beaufort Sea (Manning et al. 1956, Barry et al. 1981, Richardson and Johnson 1981, Alexander et al. 1994, Alexander et al. 1997, Dickson and Gilchrist 2002, Phillips et al. 2007, Dickson 2012a). Birds breeding in western Canada arrive in the southeastern Beaufort Sea in early May; birds breeding in northern Alaska arrive on average 2 weeks later and remain until early June (Phillips et al. 2007, Dickson 2012a). All King Eiders returning to western Canada stage 2-4 weeks from May to mid-June in the southeastern Beaufort Sea, particularly the flaw lead off Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula and Cape Bathurst (Powell and Suydam 2020). The King Eiders breeding on Banks Island stage off its west coast for 2 weeks in early June (Manning et al. 1956, Dickson et al. 1997, Dickson 2012a).

The spring migration may be completed through the Bering Sea by the first of May in some years, late into May in others (Hill 1923, Conover 1926, Phillips et al. 2006, Phillips et al. 2007, Oppel et al. 2008, Dickson 2012a). There is a strong tendency for birds wintering at lower latitudes to leave earlier, but arrival time to the breeding grounds is not correlated with winter latitude; time difference likely due to time spent on staging areas (Powell and Suydam 2020). Birds marked in northern Alaska and western Canada average 62 days on spring migration; migration consists of rapid long-distance movements followed by 1-4 weeks of staging (Oppel et al. 2008, Dickson 2012a). The first migrating King Eiders are seen at Point Barrow, in Alaska, during the last week of April or the first week of May; the migration past Point Barrow is largely complete by the end of May (Woodby and Divoky 1982, Suydam et al. 2000b).

The eastern Arctic King Eiders are abundant along the southern shores of Baffin Island in the early spring, but then vanish (Soper 1946). Migration presumably occurs over frozen sea and not across Baffin Island, as with molt migration (Powell and Suydam 2020). Generally, arrives on breeding grounds on Bathurst Island from June 11-16 (Powell and Suydam 2020). The average arrival to the breeding areas on Banks Island is on June 13, with dates that range from June 6-17, and on Victoria Island on June 18, with a date range from June 13-24 (Powell and Suydam 2020). Along the Atlantic Coast, King Eiders generally leave New Jersey by late April (Walsh et al. 1999b) and are observed migrating in Massachusetts by late April and into early May (Veit and Petersen 1993).

The King Eider is a migratory species and there are no resident populations with most birds moving away from the breeding areas in mid August–October, with the last birds departing the nesting grounds in September but the fall migration can be protracted (Oppel et al. 2008). Some birds can arrive as late as December which is the case in northern Norway (Bustnes et al. 2010). Spring migration is largely determined by state of sea ice, with the earliest arriving birds sometimes forced to wait several weeks for the tundra to thaw out, and the last birds to reach northernmost breeding areas only establishing territories in late June (Forbes et al. 1992, Snow and Perrins 1998). The King Eider migrates annually in impressively large flocks, sometimes numbering over 10,000 individuals; birds can travel over 10,000 km annually (Powell and Suydam 2020). The migration from the wintering areas at the southern edge of the sea ice to the nesting areas on the Arctic tundra begins early in the spring (late March–April) over the frozen sea, often following areas of open water in the sea ice called leads or polynyas (Woodby and Divoky 1982, Phillips et al. 2006, Oppel et al. 2008, Dickson 2012a). 

Fall migration varies greatly among individuals as most males, females, and hatch-year birds move to the wintering areas, although some remain on their molt area through the winter (Oppel et al. 2008, Powell and Suydam 2020). First-year birds may remain in wintering areas through June and July (Kain 1987, Veit and Petersen 1993, Walsh et al. 1999b, Oppel and Powell 2010, Schamber et al. 2010, Powell and Suydam 2020).

Fall migration from molting to wintering areas varies greatly, lasting 2-105 days: there is no clear distinction between fall migration and the winter period (Powell and Suydam 2020). Some males (24%) and over half of females (53%) wintered on or near molting areas (Oppel et al. 2008). Excluding birds that wintered on molting areas, mean arrival on the wintering grounds is late November into early December, ranging from mid-October to mid-January; (Oppel et al. 2008, Dickson 2012a). Fall migration includes staging off St Lawrence Island where King Eiders migrating through the area stop on average 30 days ± from mid-October to early December (Dickson 2012a). Travel speed during fall migration 11-218 km/d (average 50 km/day) (Oppel et al. 2008). Approximately 35% of birds marked with satellite transmitters in eastern Canada and western Greenland spent time at Store Hellefiskebanke, Greenland, during the period of November to March; with the mean arrival date of October 30 (Mosbech et al. 2006).

Hatch-year birds from northern Alaska leave the Beaufort Sea from September until mid-October (Powell and Suydam 2020). King Eiders of the eastern Arctic leave molting areas in November and December for wintering areas along ice-free coasts of southwestern Greenland, Labrador, and Newfoundland (Dalgety 1936, Salomonsen 1968, Frimer 1993). Along the Atlantic Coast, this species is rare before late October in Massachusetts (Veit and Petersen 1993). Migrants observed passing New Jersey from October into early December (Walsh et al. 1999b). The earliest record for Virginia is October 30(Kain 1987). On Ohio portion of Lake Erie, few records during first half of November, but most appear November 15–December 25 (Peterjohn 1989).

Banding recoveries indicate that largest proportion of those wintering in southwestern Greenland breed on same island, although some emanate from Nunavut in Canada, and even as far as west as north-central Alaska (Boertmann et al. 2004). Ringing data from Nunavut indicate that 66–73% of this population winter in the west in the Bering Sea and north Pacific Ocean and the remaining 24–37% head to the east towards western Greenland and the northwest Atlantic Ocean, but females, at least, are not strongly philopatric to wintering area (Mehl et al. 2004), which was also finding among birds followed using satellite telemetry from breeding grounds in northwestern North America (Oppel et al. 2008).

King Eiders are not necessarily sedentary during winter months; movements during winter vary greatly among individuals and are sometimes extensive. Some eiders travel 1500 km between up to 4 wintering sites; others remain at a single site throughout the winter period (Oppel et al. 2008). In the Bering Sea, no movements observed between any 2 of the 3 major winter regions (northern Bering Sea, southwestern Alaska, Kamchatka Peninsula (Oppel et al. 2008, Dickson 2012a). Variables explaining movements are complex and include individual behavior, latitude, date, and sea ice concentration; winter movements are more common at lower latitudes, from February to May, and if sea ice concentration is increased after departure from the area, but many movements may be of an exploratory nature (Oppel et al. 2009b). In western Greenland, winter movements were not related to sea ice conditions, except for the movement to more open water under severe ice conditions (Mosbech et al. 2006). Unknown whether food depletion at wintering sites plays a role in winter movements (Powell and Suydam 2020).

The King Eider winters in marine environments, relatively close (less than 15 km) to the shore and in polynyas (Phillips et al. 2006). In western North America, this species winters mostly in the Bering Sea over a large latitudinal range (from 50°- 65° N) (Oppel et al. 2009b). There are 3 primary wintering areas in the North Pacific Ocean: the north Bering Sea, southwestern Alaska, and the Kamchatka Peninsula; with no evidence of movement between regions during winter (Oppel and Powell 2008, Oppel et al. 2008, Oppel et al. 2009b, Dickson 2012a). The primary winter areas include Cape Chukotski and Olyutorskiy Bay and the southern tip and southwestern coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, in Russia, and Bristol Bay, in Alaska (Phillips et al. 2006, Oppel and Powell 2008, Oppel et al. 2008, Schamber et al. 2010, Dickson 2012a). Some individuals may remain north of St. Lawrence Island and in the Chukchi Sea in some years (Powell and Suydam 2020). Many immature King Eiders remain in the Bering Sea through most of the year (Preble and McAtee 1923b, Jacques 1930, Fay and Cade 1959, Schamber et al. 2010, Powell and Suydam 2020). 

Along the west coast of North America, south of Alaska, the King Eider is a rare but regularly occurring species. Normally found as single individuals but sometimes as groups of 2 birds that are often found in the company of scoters or as birds on their own.  In California, there are 46 accepted records by the California Bird Record Committee (Hamilton et al. 2007, Tietz and McCaskie 2020). All records are coastal and come from all months of the year with most occurring from October 18 – April 4 in the company of scoter flocks (Hamilton et al. 2007, Tietz and McCaskie 2020). Many of the California records come from the middle third of the state with scattered records coming from the northern and southern part of the state (Erickson and Terrill 1996). In Oregon, there are 12 accepted records for the state by the Oregon Bird Records Committee (OBOL 2020). All accepted records come from coastal locations (OBOL 2020). There is a well described sight record of a female that was found with scoters on the Columbia River inland at Hood River on October 20, 2019 (e-bird database 2022). These records span from October 17 to March with a late date of April 29 (OBOL 2020).  In Washington State, there are 19 accepted records by the Washington Bird Records Committee (Wahl et al. 2005, WBRC 2020). All these records are coastal and most fall within the period of October 23 to April 6 with a May record, and couple of July records which includes a bird that stayed to the following spring (Wahl et al. 2005, WBRC 2020).  In British Columbia, the King Eider is a very rare but somewhat regular occurring species with over 35 provincial records (Campbell et al. 1990a, Toochin et al. 2018, See Table 1).

In eastern North America, the King Eider winters at sea from the coast of Labrador to Newfoundland and Greenland (Godfrey 1986, Mehl et al. 2004, Mehl et al. 2005, Mosbech et al. 2006, Gilliland and Robertson 2009); also, in polynyas around the Belcher Island in Hudson Bay (Gilchrist and Robertson 2000). Smaller numbers of this species are found south to Gulf of St. Lawrence, and south along Atlantic Coast to Virginia (Bull 1985, Kain 1987, Veit and Petersen 1993, Walsh et al. 1999); casually as far south as Florida (Worthington 1890, Griscom 1925, Owre 1962b, Stevenson and Anderson 1994). Along New York and New Jersey coastlines, the King Eider is considered uncommon but regular; on the eastern Great Lakes (such as Erie and Ontario) regular and in some years common, but rarely observed after late December (Bull 1985, Peterjohn 1989). Birds are found in small numbers or as individuals from Labrador, Newfoundland to Virginia with exceptional records as far south as Georgia and Florida (Kear 2005). 

In North America, inland records exist for Nevada, Alberta, Saskatchewan, North Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Ohio, and South Carolina, rarely to coastal Texas and Louisiana (Mumford 1962b, American Ornithologists' Union 1998, Mlodinow 1999, e-bird database 2022).

Individuals breeding in eastern Siberia winter in the Bering Sea, with birds from western North America (Pearce et al. 2004, Phillips and Powell 2006, Dickson 2012a). The King Eiders of western Siberia are found wintering from the Taimyr Peninsula, east to Scandinavia, Spitsbergen, and Novaya Zemlya winter from the White Sea to western Norway and eastern coast of Iceland (Cramp and Simmons 1977, Bustnes et al. 2010).  Some of the King Eiders wintering in Iceland probably come from northeastern Greenland, and a few birds winter in the Barents Sea and Kara Sea, depending on extent of sea ice (Snow and Perrins 1998).  Of these birds’ small numbers reach further south into the North Sea, and several Baltic records suggestive of rare but regular movement between White Sea and Gulf of Finland (Powell and Suydam 2020). Small numbers winter as far south as Great Britain and Ireland (Suddaby et al. 1994); 2 records in December 2000 and April 2001 in Spain (De Juana 2003).

Straggler King Eiders sometimes occur further south than their expected normal range, even in summer such as the Faeroes, in Great Britain (Suddaby et al. 1994), with records of individuals occurring in France, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Germany, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary (Snow and Perrins 1998, e-bird database 2022, and the Azores (Clarke 2006).

  

The identification of the King Eider is covered in all standard North American field guides. This is modestly large sized sea duck measuring 47–63 cm in length (Snow and Perrins 1998), with a wingspan of 86–102 cm (Snow and Perrins 1998), with the males weighing 1367–2000 grams and the females weighing 1113–1923 grams, with the male slightly larger than female (Kear 2005, Bentzen et al. 2010).

The following descriptions are taken from Powell and Suydam (2020) unless otherwise stated.

Adult male in breeding (Definitive Alternate) plumage (observed late fall through midsummer) is distinctive: the forehead, crown, and nape are pearl blue to light grayish blue; the cheeks are iridescent pale green, separated from a pale blue nape by narrow black and white lines. The bill is reddish orange, with a large swollen yellow-orange frontal lobe that is outlined with black. The lower portion of the head, neck, breast, and upper back white, with yellowish-buff to salmon-pinkish wash on the upper breast. The body is black, with a large white patch on side of the rump and a large white patch on the forewing formed by lesser and median wing coverts. The white wing-patch remains visible even when wing is closed. The longest (black) scapular feathers have large triangular extensions that project upward as triangular “sails” on the back. The inner secondaries are elongated and downcurved. 

Adult female in breeding plumage (observed late summer or late fall through spring) is mostly deep reddish brown; the feathers along the sides and flanks have distinctive black crescent or U-shaped black bars and dark centers; obscure scalloping or barring across the breast and abdomen. The upperparts are broadly barred black and with large blackish feather centers. The primaries and secondaries are blackish or fuscous; secondaries tipped with white or tawny band; greater wing coverts are tipped white; the wing-linings largely dull white, brightest in axillaries, and contrasting with the dark leading edge of the wing. Females have a pale buff eye-ring, extending as pale eye-stripe towards the neck-sides. Brownish scapulars and inner secondaries modified in shape as short-pointed sails (like the male, but less exaggerated). The bill is olive or yellowish gray and conventional in shape (the frontal process only slightly swollen). The loral feathering extends only a short way toward the nostrils in a rounded profile and is about equal to the projection of the forehead feathering. There is a gape line obvious and slightly upturned to the rear (as though smiling). Female plumaged birds are variable; some appear very pale, and rarely females assume male-like plumage. 

Adult male in eclipse (Definitive Basic) plumage (observed late summer and early fall) is largely brownish and female like in coloration, except for blackish wings, with large white patch on the forewing. The bill is paler, and the frontal lobe becomes smaller and acquires dark spots. 

Adult female in Basic plumage (observed early summer through late summer or late fall) are like breeding female, except the head and neck are buffier, but this is highly variable. 

Juvenile birds appear like females, but are duller, grey-brown overall, with the male gradually acquiring white on breast and rump from late autumn of first year, when also becomes darker above, with young females probably indistinguishable from adults by their second winter, although head and neck may continue to become paler with age (Dawson 1994). 

Basic I male is female like, but has pale-buffy-gray chin, throat, and breast; pale eye-line; and unswollen, somewhat orange or yellowish bill. Basic I female buffy brown, with obscure dark barring, except on upper breast. Alternate I male is extremely variable; plumages range from those resembling Basic I to those in which most of head and body resemble Definitive Alternate. Alternate I female resembles Definitive Alternate female, but slightly more barred across breast and sides.

Adult male (Alternate plumage) King Eider is easily distinguished in field from other male eiders by distinctive plumage pattern, large orange-yellow frontal lobe on bill, and large square head. At a distance, also distinguished from male Spectacled Eider (Somateria fischeri) and Common Eider (S. mollissima) by considerably less white on back and upper wings. The King Eider is slightly smaller than the Common Eider, but larger than Steller's Eider (Polysticta stelleri), and similar in size to a Spectacled Eider. Immature and eclipse male King Eiders have pinkish or reddish-orange bill and mostly black upperparts (never show white in scapulars; only on upper back and/or wing coverts).

The King Eider female is distinguished from the female Common Eider at a distance by a more rounded head shape (shorter bill) and more compact body and neck (Common Eider has long, flat, sloping forehead giving a long triangular shape to head). At closer range, the King Eider shows darker bill with rather noticeable upturned (“smiling”) gape line whereas the (Common Eider has a paler bill and straighter, less distinct gape-line (Madge and Burn 1988).  The coloration typically is more rufous tan than that of a female Common Eider, with barring on sides more crescent-shaped and with dark central spot whereas the Common Eider has barring bolder and less V-shaped; however, young King Eider shows scalloped pattern closer to that of Common Eider. The female King Eider is typically less heavily marked than the female Common Eider. The head is head plain brown, usually with contrastingly pale areas around base of bill, chin, and anterior cheeks. The underwing coverts are whiter and more contrasting than on Common Eider. In the hand or at close range, shape of feathering at base of bill is a useful distinguishing characteristic. The frontal process of bill (portion of upper mandible extending back onto head toward eye) is much shorter in King Eider (variable but much longer and narrower in Common Eider). In addition, forehead-feathers extend forward onto the top of bill to above the nostril in King Eider, but never as far in a Common Eider. In some birds, short tertial points provide additional identification clues versus Common Eider, although beware occasional females of latter species may show some King Eider-like features (van den Berg 2002). The female Steller's Eider is noticeably smaller and distinguished by different bill shape (bill appears “stuck on,” joining head along vertical line), squarer head, and a blue speculum bordered by 2 white bars. The female Spectacled Eider shows large, very pale patch around eye; dark lores contrast with pale eye-patch, chin, and throat; back shows more obvious regular barring; bill has saddle of feathers across top.

The King Eider is different enough at any age no to be confused with Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata), White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi), or a Black Scoter (Melanitta americana). For more information it is suggested reading either Sibley (2000) or Dunn and Alderfer (2011) for all the field mark differences between scoters and the King Eider.

The King Eider is a very rare to rare regular migrant vagrant in British Columbia with 45 provincial records. There are no confirmed interior records for the province will all records to date occurring in the coastal regions. The first record for British Columbia was of a male collected by Arthur Peake in Hardy Bay on the north coast of Vancouver Island on October 18, 1938 (Brooks 1942). The bird was preserved as a specimen labelled MVZ 99553 which is at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology in Berkeley, California (Campbell et al. 1990a). Most records fall into the dates of October 16 – April 16 with a few late spring and summer records. It is most likely the King Eiders found along the coast of the province are overshoots of birds that were likely heading to the Bering Sea off Alaska and for whatever reason just keep heading south. This explains the timing of birds in the fall that are found from mid-October into November when birds are moving up north to the wintering grounds (Please see Table 2). Spring records do reflect the timing when birds are starting to move north, often in the company of other sea ducks (Please see Table 2). 

 

The provincial records break down with the following numbers per region. The most records for British Columbia come from coastal areas of Vancouver Island with 20 (Toochin et al. 2018, See Table 1). It is likely that King Eider is an annual species in the spring during the Herring Spawn off Parksville to Qualicum Beach. There are thousands of sea ducks that congregate and feed on Herring eggs before their long migration to the Arctic. It is no wonder that most records for Vancouver Island come from this area during the early spring. It is on Vancouver Island where there have been 2 birds found together on three separate occasions (Toochin et al. 2018, See Table 1). There are 14 records of the King Eider for the Vancouver area (Toochin et al. 2018, See Table 1). Most records are of birds that were found amongst mixed rafts of scoters, though some birds have been located on their own. One of the more spectacular observations occurred off the South Jetty Tip at Iona Island when the author found an adult male King Eider with the long staying adult male Common Eider amongst a large flock of Surf Scoters from March 13-April 16, 1998 (Toochin et al. 2018, See Table 1).  These birds were observed on April 16th heading north out of the area on their migration north by the author (R. Toochin Pers. Obs.). There are 7 records for Haida Gwaii (Toochin et al. 2018, See Table 1). There are large rafts of sea ducks that winter in this region, and it is likely that the King Eider is present more than current records reflect as there is limited coverage of the islands by a small, dedicated number of observers (P. Hamel Pers. Comm.). Records of the King Eider in and around Haida Gwaii like other regions have come from all times of the year, involving individual birds, however, there is at least 1 record that involved 2 females found by Peter Hamel, and other observers at Rose Spit, on August 13, 2001 (Toochin et al. 2018, See Table 1). The lack of coverage of both the northern mainland coastline, which has 3 records, and the Sunshine Coast which only has 2 records, is likely why there are so few records for this area of the province.  To date there are no confirmed interior records of the King Eider for the province. Such claims in the past have turned out to be an odd plumaged Scoter (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.). Given that there are widely scattered records for the Prairie Provinces and mid-western States, a future record from the interior of British Columbia is not that impossible and observers should be on the lookout in October into November along lakeshores where scoters are known to occur. This species should be watched for every year anywhere numbers of sea ducks are found.

1.(1) male October 18, 1938:  Arthur Peake (MVZ 99553: specimen) Hardy Bay (Brooks 1942)

2.(1) female January 11, 1942: E. B. Cooke (RBCM 8966: specimen) Sooke Harbour (Carl 1942)

3.(1) female December 4, 1945: (RBCM 10226: specimen) Masset, Haida Gwaii (Campbell et al. 1990a)

4.(1) female December 15, 1971 - January 16, 1972: George Sirk, and other observers: Queen Charlotte City, Haida Gwaii (Sirk 1972, Crowell and Nehls 1972b, Campbell et al. 1990a)

5.(1) immature male November 17, 1973- May 20, 1974: (photo: RBCM: 326) Pt. Grey - Stanley Park, Vancouver (Campbell et al. 1990a)

6.(1) adult female February 22, 1975: Chatham Sound, Port Edward (Campbell et al. 1990a)

7.(1) female May 14, 1977: Sandspit, Haida Gwaii (Campbell et al. 1990a)

8.(1) immature male August 7- October 9, 1982: BMK, RWP, and other observers (photo: RBCM: 988) Iona Island South Jetty, Richmond (Campbell 1982a, Campbell et al. 1990a)

9.(1) adult female November 17, 1983-February 19, 1984: Bob Emery, and other observers (photo: RBCM: 1111) Stanley Park, Vancouver (Campbell et al. 1990a)

10.(2) adult females February 6, 1984: David Fraser, and other observers: Fulford Harbor, Saltspring Island (Mattocks 1984, Toochin et al. 2018)

11.(1) adult male November 4, 1984-April 6, 1985: BMK, and other observers (photo: RBCM: 1196 & 1089) Stanley Park-West Vancouver- Deep Cove (Campbell et al. 1990a)

12.(1) adult female November 17, 1985-April 9, 1986: JH, and other observers: Stanley Park, Vancouver (Campbell et al. 1990a)

13.(1) adult male April 6-May 23, 1986: Stanley Park, Vancouver (Campbell et al. 1990a, Toochin et al. 2018)

14.(1) female July 14-15, 1989: Margo Hearne, and other observers: Cape Eden Shaw near Dixon Entrance, Haida Gwaii (Toochin et al. 2018)

15.(1) adult female January 19-February 19, 1991: DL, Ann-Marie Neugebauer, and other observers: Iona Island South Jetty, Richmond (Dorsey 1996a, Toochin et al. 2018)

16.(1) adult female January 29, 1992: Rick Toochin: Iona Island South Jetty, Richmond (Toochin et al. 2018)

17.(2) females January 8-15, 1994: Adrian Dorst, and other observers (photo) off Tofino (Bowling 1994a, Toochin et al. 2018)

18.(1) adult male June 20, 1995: Rick Toochin, Mitch Meredith: off Rafael Point, Flores Island (Toochin et al. 2018)

19.(1) near-adult male December 21, 1997-January 1, 1998: Mike Miller, and other observers (photo) Gartley Point, Royston (Bowling 1998b, Toochin et al. 2018)               

20.(1) adult male March 13- April 16, 1998: Rick Toochin, mobs: Iona Island South Jetty, Richmond (Plath 2000,Toochin et al. 2018)

21.(1) immature male January 20- March 10, 2005: Russ Tkachuk, and other observers (photo) Roberts Creek, Sunshine Coast (Toochin et al. 2018)

22.(1) immature male April 1-13, 2000: Rick Toochin, and other observers: Iona Island South Jetty, Richmond (Toochin et al. 2018)

23.(2) females August 13, 2001: Peter Hamel, and other observers: Rose Spit, Haida Gwaii (Toochin et al. 2018)

24.(1) near-adult male January 10-March 21, 2002: Patrick Fawkes, and other observers (photo) Longbeak Spit, Denman Island (Cecile 2002b, Toochin et al. 2018) 

25.(1) female November 21, 2002: Peter Hamel, and other observers: Balance Rock near Skidegate (Toochin et al. 2018)

26.(1) near-adult male May 6-17, 2003: Dale Whitmee, Guy Monty, and other observers (photo) Deep Bay (Cecile 2003b, Toochin et al. 2018)

27.(1) immature male November 5, 2003-January 5, 2004: fide Blake Bartzen (photo) Deep Bay (Toochin et al. 2018)
28.(2) immature male and female February 8, 2004: John Sprague, and other observers: by sailboat 3-6 NM out of Sidney near Moresby Island (Toochin et al. 2018)

29.(1) near-adult male February 10-March 8, 2004: Jamie Fenneman, and other observers (photo) Fanny Bay (Cecile 2004b, Toochin et al. 2018)     

     (1) near adult March 20-March 22, 2004: Guy Monty, and other observers (photo) Qualicum Beach (Toochin et al. 2018)   

     (1) near adult March 22-March 26, 2004: Guy Monty, and other observers (photo) Parksville (Toochin et al. 2018)   

     (1) near adult March 27-April 3, 2004: Guy Monty, and other observers (photo) French Creek (Toochin et al. 2018)   

     (1) near adult April 9-April 12, 2004: Ralph Hocken, and other observers (photo) Lantzville (Toochin et al. 2018)                     

30.(1) 1st year male March 20, 2005: Doug Brown: Gospell Creek, Gibsons (Toochin et al. 2018)

31.(1) sub-adult male October 30-December 3, 2005: Bill Bodean, and other observers (photo) Dundarave Pier– Stanley Park, Vancouver (Toochin et al. 2018)

     (1) near adult male April 11-15, 2006: Mark Wynja, and other observers: Iona Island South Jetty Tip, Richmond (Toochin et al. 2018)

32.(1) 1st year male April 6, 2010: Guy Monty: Columbia Beach (Charlesworth 2010b, Toochin et al. 2018)

33.(1) immature/ female October 3, 2010: Peter Hamel, Margo Hearne (photo) Naden Harbour, Haida Gwaii (Toochin et al. 2018)

34.(1) 1st year male February 9-March 27, 2014: Russell Cannings, and other observers (photo) Qualicum Beach (Toochin et al. 2018)

35.(1) 1st year male October 16-19, 2015: Colin Bishop, and other observers: near Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park, Parksville (Toochin et al. 2018)

36.(1) near adult male October 24-December 5, 2017: Michael Klotz, and other observers (photo) Tsawwassen Ferry Jetty Tip, Tsawwassen (Toochin et al. 2018)

37.(1) female December 2, 2017: Ryan Terrill, and other observers (photo) from Cruise Ship Star Princess, between Pt. Grey and Lighthouse Park, West Vancouver (Toochin et al. 2018)

38.(1) near adult male December 4-16, 2017: Peter Woods, and other observers (photo) Second Beach, English Bay, Stanley Park, to Canada Place to Seabus Terminal, Vancouver (Toochin et al. 2018)

39.(1) adult male March 12-April 2, 2018: Neil Robins, John Purves, and other observers (photo) Qualicum Beach (Toochin et al. 2018)

40.(1) adult female December 17-18, 2021: David Caudwell, and other observers (photo) off Steve Fonyo Beach, Victoria (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)  

41.(1) adult female April 23-24, 2022: Iwan van Veen and Krista Kaptein, mobs (photo) Comox to Powell River Ferry and off singing Sands Beach, Comox (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

42.(1) adult female April 15, 2023: Liam Ragan and Kaiden Bosch (photo) Kitasu Bay near Price Island north of Bella Bella (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

43.(1) adult female April 10-11, 2024: Chris Coxson (photo) off Little Beach, Ucluelet (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

44.(1) adult female April 11, 2024: Kaiden Bosch, Julian Heavyside, Laurel Sleigh (photo) Kitasu Bay, off Swindle Island (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

45.(1) immature male October 27-November 15, 2024: Rhia Ironside, mobs (photo) Brentwood Bay area (M. Ashbee Pers. Comm.)

I wish to thank Margo Hearne, Mike Yip, Walter Amman and Geoffrey Newell for allowing me to use their King Eider photographs. All photos are used with permission of the photographer and are fully protected by copyright law. Photographs are not to be reproduced, published, or retransmitted on any website without the authorization of the photographer.

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