This is BirdNode.

This bird may not quack like a duck or look like a duck, but the King Ider is one of the most striking sea ducks in the northern hemisphere.

This male King Ider is trying to woo a mate with soft coos and brilliant colors.

His beak and feathers are decked out in black, white, green, gray, tangerine, yellow, and ivory.

Unlike her showy suitor, the female king ider is modeled brown, the perfect camouflage for blending

into the Arctic tundra, where she'll hunker down on her nest for three weeks by herself.

When the eggs hatch, she'll guide her fluffy ducklings toward the sea, stopping at freshwater nursery ponds along the way,

always on alert for hungry foxes and gulls.

Young Iters quickly learn to fend for themselves at sea.

Some venture south towards coastal Washington and New England,

but most spend winter amidst the pack ice,

diving for shellfish and crustaceans from nearly 180 feet below the surface.

At least until spring, when Kingiters flock by the tens of thousands to cloon and swoon

on the Arctic tundra once again.

For bird note, I'm Mark Bramhill.

This episode is dedicated to Gary and Liz Kennedy Ketchison,

who are grateful to Bird Note for sharing the wonder of birds with listeners around the world.