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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Bird s-eye view on World Environment Day
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Earthrise on Moon Day
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Penguins can t fly!
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Sutherland Falls in Fiordland National Park
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Get the bear facts
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Beethoven s 250th
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Till the cows come home
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Goðafoss waterfall, Iceland
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Diving into World Oceans Day
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A whale of a hug
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Go Fly a Kite Day
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International Surfing Day
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Hut, hut, hike!
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Kawachi Fuji Garden
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Saksun, Faroe Islands, Denmark
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Mada in Saleh, Saudi Arabia
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Get on your bike and ride
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Avatar Mountains, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China
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Oymyakon, Russia
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Atolls in the Maldives
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Gray seal pup, Norfolk, England
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A river runs through rice fields
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Saint Andrews Day
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Sequential images of a total solar eclipse
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National Panda Day
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In celebration of America’s national bird
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Is that a face in the sand?
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World Book Day
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Make your list and check it twice
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Great Backyard Bird Count