Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)
~ 1828
About this artwork
A highly detailed chromolithograph depicting a male Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) in its breeding plumage, standing on a rocky shore. This work is likely a plate from a natural history publication focusing on Swedish birds.
Did you know?
The Common Eider is renowned for its incredibly soft and insulating eiderdown, which has been sustainably harvested for centuries without harming the birds, making it a valuable resource. Males like the one depicted here boast striking black and white plumage with a distinctive pale green nape during breeding season, a stark contrast to the mottled brown of females. These sea ducks are robust divers, capable of foraging for shellfish in deep waters, a testament to their adaptability in cold marine environments.
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Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)
Wihelm Wright, ~ 1828
