Steller's Eider Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesSteller's Eider
Male and female
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 01, 2002Not all videos have sound
Male and female
Despite differences in color, both sexes have blocky head with flat crown and thick gray bill.
© Andrew Spencer / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 16, 2014Male
Mostly white head with large black eye, black collar around neck, and creamy-buff belly with black spot on side.
© Mitch Walters / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 23, 2016Male and female
Males have a mostly white head, black back, and creamy-buff belly. Females are dark brown with a pale eyering and a heavy gray bill.
© Chris Wood / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, March 25, 2011Male
Breeds in shallow tundra wetlands. Male has mostly white head with large black eye. Black back shows white stripes at rest; black rear.
© Andrew Spencer / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 13, 2013Male and female
Male in flight has extensively white forewing. Female has blue-black secondaries bordered in white and white underwings.
© Chris Wood / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, March 25, 2011Similar SpeciesLong-tailed Duck
Nonbreeding male
Males have a much longer tail than Steller's Eiders with a white (not black) rump.
© Chris Wood / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, March 25, 2011Similar SpeciesLong-tailed Duck
Nonbreeding female
Females have more white on their heads than female Steller's Eiders and a white (not black) rump.
© Tom Auer / Macaulay LibraryMichigan, November 22, 2016Similar SpeciesHarlequin Duck
Breeding male and female
Males have a chestnut patch on their sides and a darker head than Steller's Eider. Females have a white patch behind the bill that female Eiders lack.
© Cos van Wermeskerken / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, March 15, 2017Similar SpeciesHarlequin Duck
Nonbreeding male
Nonbreeding males have a white patch behind the bill that nonbreeding male and female Steller's Eiders lack.
© Marc North / Macaulay LibraryMichigan, March 06, 2016Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
Compare with Similar Species
Click on an image to compare
Species in This Family
Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl(Order: Anseriformes, Family: Anatidae)
Don't miss a thing! Join our email list
The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds,
birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation.