Scientific publications

The down of the common eider (Somateria mollissima) rates as one of the best natural heat insulation materials. Onega Bay of the White Sea is the only place in Russia where regular commercial collection of eider down is currently carried out. Down is collected from nests during the incubation time, which can potentially pose a threat to the nest survival. In 2020–2024 we assessed the common eider abundance and nesting time in the main down collection areas. We also assessed the influence of various external factors on the nest survival in the course of down collection. In 2021–2023 we conducted a field experiment based on the Mayfield method to assess individual nest survival. The experiment showed that nesting success depended on the timing of human intervention and the presence of predatory birds. We found that an acceptable method of collecting down on islands in Onega Bay is to replace down with hay and then cover up the nest. However, the timing of down collection is critical, as disturbance of birds in the early stages of incubation can lead to nest failures. It is emphasized that the results of this study apply only to Onega Bay of the White Sea, while planning of commercial down collection in other areas requires specialized studies. Here, we propose recommendations for the management of eider down collection, and substantiate the need for laws to regulate it.