Common eider vs King eider
The common eider is heavier: 2.06 kg against 1.62 kg for the king eider, about 27% more.
Photo: Andreas Trepte · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons
Photo: ALAN SCHMIERER · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
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What is the difference between a common eider and a king eider?
Each point below is worked out from a pair of recorded values.
- The common eider is heavier: 2.06 kg against 1.62 kg for the king eider, about 27% more.
- The common eider is longer-lived: 23 years against 18.9 years for the king eider, about 22% longer.
- Both belong to the genus Somateria, so they are close relatives.
- The common eider is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List; the king eider is Least Concern.
Side by side
| Common eider | King eider | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Somateria mollissima | Somateria spectabilis |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Weight | 1.92 kg – 2.22 kg | 1.62 kg – 1.71 kg |
| Length | 50 cm – 71 cm | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | 23 years | 18.9 years |
| Main food | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Habitat | marine | marine |
| Conservation status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
| Countries recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded |
A scale drawing needs a recorded length for both animals; only weights are on record for this pair.
Full record: Common eiderFull record: King eiderCompare other animals