Polar Pathways: Robert E. Peary's Arctic Expeditions
1891- Eider Ducks
A female eider duck
Eider ducks are heavy, round-bodied northern sea ducks. They are most easily recognized by their coloring, size, and sloping profile. When lining her nest, the female eider duck plucks soft down feathers from her chest. People can collect this eiderdown without interrupting the bird's breeding cycle. Since they breed in huge numbers in some northern islands, eider ducks and their eggs also provide inhabitants with a valuable source of food.
"Female eider duck- mounted", Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum Collections
