31 



COMMON EIDER (Somateria mollissima^ choices 29 and 31', pp. 37-38). 

 Males in breeding plumage have distinctive white, black and green heads 

 and a distinctive sloping forehead and bill (Plate 17-2). In other 

 plumages birds may be separated from King Eiders which have U- and V- 

 shaped markings on the flanks, whereas the Common Eider's markings are 

 wavy. Bill shape and lack of a spectacle separates Common from Spectacled 

 Eiders. Common Eiders breed from southeast Alaska north. They winter 

 primarily in the Bering Sea, but occasionally from Alaska to Washington. 



KING EIDER (Somateria spectdbilis; choices 23 and 31, pp. 37-38). 

 Breeding plumaged males have a distinctive orange bill (Plate 17-4) and 

 a black, white, green and bluish head. In other plumages it lacks the 

 spectacles of the Spectacled Eider and the dark wavy bars on the flanks 

 of the Common Eider. It occurs primarily in Alaska, rarely south to 

 California. 



SPECTACLED EIDER (Somateria fischeri; choices 23' and 30, pp. 37-38) 

 has a pale circular patch around the eye giving it the appearance of wearing 

 goggles and a distinctive shaped bill with feathers extending to the nostril 

 (Plates 17, 18). It breeds along the Alaskan coast south to the Kuskokwim 

 River. There are a few winter records from southwestern Alaska. They are 

 extremely rare farther south. 



WHITE-WINGED SCOTER (Melanitta fusoa; choices 41 and 41', pg. 39) 

 has brown to black wings contrasted with a white speculum. Legs and feet 

 are pink or orangish. Breeding plumaged males have white feathering 

 around the eye; females have a white patch between the eye and bill and 

 another behind the eye. Immature males may have no white on the head. 

 It winters from southwest Alaska to Baja California and can occasionally 

 be found overs ummering in this area. 



SURF SCOTER (Melanitta perspicillata; choice 16 and 16', pg. 36) 

 and BLACK SCOTER (Melanitta nigra; choices 17 and 17', pg. 36) have 

 uniformly dark wings and backs. Males in breeding plumage are dark 

 ventrally; females and juveniles are whitish ventrally. Surf Scoters 

 have orangish legs. Males have a white patch on the back of the head 

 and females and juveniles a white patch between the bill and eye and 

 another behind the eye. Black Scoters are black-legged. Males have no 

 white on the back of the head or on the bill; the sides of the head are 

 largely whitish in females and juveniles. Surf Scoters winter from south- 

 western Alaska to Baja California and to some degree oversummer in their 

 winter range. Black Scoters breed along the coast of western Alaska and 

 winter from the Aleutian Islands to southern California. 



