Data Zone
Taxonomic source(s)
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of_the_WP15.xls.
Cramp, S. and Simmons, K.E.L. (eds). 1977-1994. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
| Critically Endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | A2bcd+3bcd+4bcd |
| Year | Category | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Vulnerable | A2bcd+3bcd+4bcd |
| 2016 | Vulnerable | A2bcd+3bcd+4bcd |
| 2013 | Vulnerable | A2bcd+3bcd+4bcd |
| 2012 | Vulnerable | A2bcd+3bcd+4bcd |
| 2010 | Vulnerable | A2b,c,d; A3b,c,d; A4b,c,d |
| 2008 | Vulnerable | A2b,c,d; A3b,c,d; A4b,c,d |
| 2006 | Vulnerable | |
| 2005 | Vulnerable | |
| 2004 | Least Concern | |
| 2000 | Lower Risk/Least Concern | |
| 1996 | Vulnerable | |
| 1994 | Vulnerable | |
| 1988 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | does not normally occur in forest |
| Land-mass type |
continent |
Average mass | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) | 9,240,000 km2 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) | 26,900,000 km2 | medium |
| Number of locations | 11-100 | - |
| Severely fragmented? | no | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population size | unknown | medium | estimated | 2012 |
| Population trend | decreasing | medium | estimated | 1998-2010 |
| Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 30-49% | - | - | - |
| Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 30-49% | - | - | - |
| Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 30-49% | - | - | - |
| Generation length | 4 years | - | - | - |
| Number of subpopulations | 2-100 | - | - | - |
Population justification: Various population estimates include: c.10,000-15,000 wintering individuals in north Norway and the south-east Baltic (based on a count of 4,297 off Kola Peninsula in April 2003 [Krasnov et al. 2004], 2,300 in the whole Baltic in 2009 (Skov et al., 2011) and c.2,700 wintering off Norway in the same year (Aarvak et al. 2012) Ce.100,000-110,000 wintering individuals were counted in the north Pacific; counts in North America declined from 137,900 in 1992 to 77,300 in 2003, forming the basis of the 2003 North American population estimate of 90,000-95,000 individuals (K. Laing in litt. 2005 to Wetlands International 2006). However, the population has since declined to 74,400 individuals in 2011 (Larned 2012). Ce.20,000 individuals migrate through the Kamchatka Peninsula in spring (Gerasimov and Gerasimov 2003), c.100-10,000 breeding pairs and c.23,000 wintering individuals were recorded in Russia in March 2009 (Aarvak et al. 2012). The minimum European population in winter is currently estimated at 30,800-41,200 individuals, which equates to 20,500-27,500 mature individuals (BirdLife International 2015). There is also a marginal breeding population in Europe estimated at 5-50 pairs, which equates to 10-100 mature individuals (BirdLife International 2015). Based on the current European wintering population estimate of 30,800-41,200 individuals (BirdLife International 2015) and an estimate of 100,000-110,000 individuals wintering in the north Pacific, the total population is estimated at c.130,000-150,000 individuals.
Trend justification: Based on population estimates of birds staging in southwest Alaska, the Alaskan population declined by 2.3% per year since 1992 (or 46% over 20 years) during 1992-2011 (Larned 2012). Declines in Europe have been even steeper, with an estimated decline of 66.4% between Baltic-wide surveys in 1993 and 2009 (Skov et al. 2011). It is unclear, however, whether these declines were genuine, or reflect a redistribution to other wintering areas, including Russia (Aarvak et al. 2012). Conservatively assuming the Asian population was stable over this time, and taking into account the smaller relative size of the European population, a precautionary decline rate of 30-49 % over 12 years is assumed.
| Country/Territory | Presence | Origin | Resident | Breeding visitor | Non-breeding visitor | Passage migrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | extant | vagrant | ||||
| China (mainland) | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Denmark | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Estonia | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Finland | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| France | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Germany | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Greenland (to Denmark) | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Iceland | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Japan | extant | native | yes | |||
| Latvia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Lithuania | extant | native | yes | |||
| Netherlands | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Norway | extant | native | yes | |||
| Poland | extant | native | yes | |||
| Russia | extant | native | yes | yes | yes | |
| Russia (Asian) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Russia (Central Asian) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Russia (European) | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Sweden | extant | native | yes | |||
| United Kingdom | extant | vagrant | ||||
| USA | extant | native | yes |
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Intertidal | Mud Flats and Salt Flats | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Rocky Shoreline | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Tidepools | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Estuaries | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Macroalgal/Kelp | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Seagrass (Submerged) | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy-Mud | major | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes | major | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Tundra Wetlands (incl. pools and temporary waters from snowmelt) | major | breeding |
| Altitude | Occasional altitudinal limits |
| Threat (level 1) | Threat (level 2) | Impact and Stresses | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources - Unintentional effects: (large scale) [harvest] | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
|
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| Biological resource use | Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
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| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Majority (50-90%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Medium Impact: 6 | ||||||
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| Climate change & severe weather | Other impacts | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
|
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| Energy production & mining | Oil & gas drilling | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
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| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases - Vulpes lagopus | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
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| Pollution | Garbage & solid waste | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
|
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| Pollution | Industrial & military effluents - Oil spills | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Future | Majority (50-90%) | Rapid Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
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| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Future | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
|
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| Purpose | Scale |
|---|---|
| Food - human | subsistence, national |
| Food - human | subsistence, national |
| Pets/display animals, horticulture | international |
| Pets/display animals, horticulture | international |
| Sport hunting/specimen collecting | subsistence, national |
| Sport hunting/specimen collecting | subsistence, national |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Steller's Eider Polysticta stelleri. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/stellers-eider-polysticta-stelleri on 22/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/12/2024.