Somateria
| Eiders | |
|---|---|
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| King eider in breeding plumage | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Family: | Anatidae |
| Subfamily: | Merginae |
| Genus: |
Somateria Leach, 1819 |
| Species | |
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Eiders (/ˈaɪ.dər/) are large seaducks in the genus Somateria. The scientific name is derived from Ancient Greek somatos "body" and erion "wool", referring to eiderdown.
The three extant species all breed in the cooler latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.
The down feathers of eider ducks, and some other ducks and geese, are used to fill pillows and quilts—they have given the name to the type of quilt known as an eiderdown.
Steller's eider (Polysticta stelleri) is in a different genus despite its name.
The call of the duck has been likened to sound of "surprised pantomime dames, or even the comedian Frankie Howerd".
Two undescribed species are known from fossils, one from Middle Oligocene rocks in Kazakhstan and another from the Late Miocene or Early Pliocene of Lee Creek Mine, United States. The former may not actually belong in this genus.
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Wikipedia