Species Profile
Environmental Conservation Online System

Steller's Eider (Polysticta stelleri)

Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae

Listing Status:   

General Information

43-47 cm. Smallish marine duck with squarish head and angular bill; breeding plumage male unmistakable (in eclipse blackish with white secondary coverts); 1st winter male brown with faint suggestion of male head markings - blackish throat and collar; female red-brown with blue tertials (except 1st winter when brown) and whitish inner webs. Most female-type plumages show pale eye ring. Flight fast with rapid beats; male shows white forewing and trailing edge, female has thin white wing bar and trailing edge.

Lead Region:  Alaska Region (Region 7)
Date Listed: Jun 11, 1997
Where Listed: U.S.A. (AK breeding population only)

  • States/US Territories in which the Steller's Eider, AK breeding pop. is known to occur:  Alaska
  • USFWS Refuges in which the Steller's Eider, AK breeding pop. is known to occur:  ALASKA MARITIME NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE , ALASKA PENINSULA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE , ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE , BECHAROF NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE , IZEMBEK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE  ... Show All Refuges
  • Countries in which the the Steller's Eider, AK breeding pop. is known to occur:  Russia
  • For more information:  http://www.fws.gov/endangered/i/B7Y.html

» Federal Register Documents

Most Recent Federal Register Documents (Showing 5 of 14 : view all)
Date Citation Page Title
04/23/2003 68 FR 20020 20021 Availability of the Recovery Plan for the Alaska-Breeding Population of the Steller's Eider (Polysticta stelleri)
05/28/2002 67 FR 36915 Draft Recovery Plan for the Alaska-Breeding Population of the Steller's Eider (Polysticta stelleri)
02/02/2001 66 FR 8849 8884 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Determination of Critical Habitat for the Alaska-Breeding Population of Steller's Eider; Final Rule
08/24/2000 65 FR 51577 51578 Extension of Comment Periods and Notice of Availability of Draft Economic Analyses on Proposed Critical Habitat Determinations for the Spectacled Eider and Steller's Eider
07/31/2000 65 FR 46684 46685 Notice of Public Hearing on Critical Habitat for the Spectacled Eider and Steller's Eider

» Recovery

Recovery Plan Information Search
Current Recovery Plan(s)
Date Title Plan Action Status Plan Status
09/30/2002 Recovery Plan for the Alaska-Breeding Population of the Steller's Eider View Implementation Progress Final
08/13/2008 Steller's Eider Recovery Task List May 2007 View Implementation Progress Final
Other Recovery Documents (Showing 3 of 3 )
Date Citation Page Title Document Type
04/23/2003 68 FR 20020 20021 Availability of the Recovery Plan for the Alaska-Breeding Population of the Steller's Eider (Polysticta stelleri)
  • Notice Final Recovery Plan Availability
    • 05/28/2002 67 FR 36915 Draft Recovery Plan for the Alaska-Breeding Population of the Steller's Eider (Polysticta stelleri)
  • Notice Draft Recovery Plan Availability
    • 08/24/2000 65 FR 51577 51578 Extension of Comment Periods and Notice of Availability of Draft Economic Analyses on Proposed Critical Habitat Determinations for the Spectacled Eider and Steller's Eider
  • Notice Critical Habitat
  • Notice Doc. Availability
  • Notice Reopen Comment

    • » Critical Habitat

    Current Critical Habitat Documents (Showing 2 of 2 )
    Date Citation Page Title Document Type Status
    02/02/2001 66 FR 8849 8884 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Determination of Critical Habitat for the Alaska-Breeding Population of Steller's Eider; Final Rule Final Rule Active
    03/13/2000 65 FR 13262 13284 Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for the Steller's Eider Proposed Rule Not Required

    To learn more about critical habitat please see http://criticalhabitat.fws.gov

    » Conservation Plans

    No conservation plans have been created for Steller's Eider, AK breeding pop.

    » Petitions

    Most Recent Petition Findings (Showing 2 of 2 )
    Date Citation Page Title Finding
    05/08/1992 57 FR 19852 19856 ETWP; Proposed Rule to list Spectacled Eider as Threatened and Notice of 12-month Finding for a Petition to List Two Alaskan Eiders as Endangered; 57 FR 19852 19856
  • Notice 12 month petition finding, Warranted but precluded
    • 04/25/1991 56 FR 19073 19074 ETWP; 90-Findings and Commencement of Status Reviews for a Petition to List the Steller's and Spectacled Eiders as Endangered; 56 FR 19073 19074
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Substantial

    • » Life History

    No Life History information has been entered into this system for this species.

    » Other Resources

    NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

    ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

    Last updated: November 21, 2009