When king eider males line up in a dandy display like this, it"s likely because they"re courting a hen (or what birders call a "queen eider"). These colorful drakes aren"t your regular ducks. They"re sea ducks, a group that includes several large duck species that feed off the coast in salt water. As you can see, male king eiders have striking multicolored plumage and yellowish knobs above their bills that are said to resemble crowns. They, and the less-ornate brown females, make their home in the frigid waters along the Arctic coasts of northern Europe, North America, and Asia.
Duck, duck. duck, duck, duck...
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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American bison
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Pumpkin patch
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Maritime forest on Cumberland Island, Georgia
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Ring of Brodgar, Orkney, Scotland
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Carnival comes to Olinda
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Venture into a prehistoric gallery of art
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World Penguin Day
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An improbable tribute for Towel Day
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Tesla, the visionary
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Twas a night just like tonight
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Avatar Mountains, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China
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Happy 50th for the National Trails System!
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Roques de Benet, Els Ports Natural Park, Catalonia, Spain
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Laguna de Torrevieja, Spain
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Fall Astronomy Week
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Let the harvest begin
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A bridge of Madison County
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World Art Day
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Celebrating World Art Day
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Muniellos Nature Reserve
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Great cormorants
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Merry Christmas!
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Composite of photographs from the Apollo 15 mission
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Summer solstice
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Marine Day in Japan
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Vieste, Apulia, Italy
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Porto Cathedral, Portugal
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Ingenuity in action on the Santa Monica Pier
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Womens History Month
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A Latino art exhibition in Denver