When they return to the sea, ducklings in tow, they leave behind a gift of thanks – their precious eiderdown. 2016. ♪♪ Eider duck farming is big business in Viking-age Iceland, with nesting ducks encouraged and predators like arctic foxes controlled. The history of eiderdown harvesting is closely linked to Iceland’s history. Eiderdown has small, unique, hook-like threads that lock it together, providing the insulation’s air pockets. During incubation female eiders pluck down from their breasts and use it to insulate the nest. A female eider duck who had an unfortunate accident has found a new lease on life with an Icelandic family who took her in, RÚV reports. Eider farming and down collection is based on centuries-old traditions. Eiderdown is unlike any other material on the planet. In Breiðafjörður fjord you will find the largest eider-duck nesting site in Iceland and one of the world's largest eider-down farming, so it is fitting to have an Eider-Centre here in Stykkishólmur. The wild Eider duck is only found in the nethermost regions of the North Atlantic, principally in Iceland. A unique relationship has developed between farmers and eiders. Eider duck, or to be more exact, Eider down has been farmed in Iceland for centuries. To encourage the bird’s return, farmers often use radios and colorful items. Hold it in your hand. In June the eiders come ashore to nest. They trust each other. Eider ducks have co-existed with Icelanders since the 9th century when the island was settled. Farmers harvest this down for filling pillows and quilts. The history of eiderdown harvesting is closely linked to Iceland’s history. This is also the only place in Iceland with a traditional wind mill. It shrinks and expands as if it were alive, always maintaining a ‘Goldilocks-perfect’ temperature. Since the Viking settlement of Iceland 11 centuries ago, Eider ducks have nested in colonies protected by Eider farmers who defend the colony from predators such as mink, seagulls, arctic foxes and sea eagles. Eiders can be found everywhere along the coasts of Iceland. Down is used to create quilts and light warm clothing, famous for their softness, lightness The size and amount of filling can be adjusted to suit everyone from infants to adults. Authorized quality inspectors ensure that buyers of Icelandic eiderdown always receive a high quality product. Its a superb insulator, and has been gathered for use in bedding and garments since time immemorial. An inspector assesses the down’s cleanliness, smell, color and cohesion and then confirms its weight. Approximately 85-90% of the worlds eiderdown comes from Iceland, 10-15% comes from Canada. They trust each other. About 350 families collect about three metric tons of eider down annually, which generates approximately five million US dollars. In the 10th Century, weary Norsemen landed on Iceland’s virgin shores. In 1847, the eider became a fully protected species. Iceland Then it’s mechanically cleaned, in machines specially developed for this purpose. Duntun www.efstidalur.is 1. The craft of cleaning down requires precision, patience and knowledge. The Eider Center is appropriately located in the town of Stykkisholmur in the west of Iceland, on Breiðafjörður bay, home of large Enjoy a guided walking tour through back streets and history. Icelandic eider farmers take great pride in the manufacture of their eiderdown goods. These unique properties make eiderdown uniquely suited for luxury bedding. She has worked extensively with archaeological sites from the Iron Age and the Middle Ages in Tjøtta municipality and many other places on the Helgeland coast, as well as on Alstahaug and Sandnes farm … When they return to the sea, ducklings in tow, they leave behind a gift of thanks – their precious eiderdown. Free from hard quills or feathers, eiderdown is softer, more insulating and more resilient than the finest white goose down. Icelanders have followed the sustainable practice of eiderdown farming for over 1000 years. The soft underlayer of feathers from the Common Eider duck (Somateria Mollissima, ‘very soft wool body’ in Latin). Tel: (+354) 892-3342. Approximately 3,000 kg of Icelandic eiderdown is produced every year. At nesting time the female eider sheds the down from her breast. When they stumbled across the first eider duck nest, it was the start of a peculiar partnership that continues to this day. Cleaning of eiderdown is a meticulous process and demands a lot of care. Farmer will remove the feathers for market and replace with hay, keeping nest and eggs unharmed. The use of eiderdown and the culture of eider farming are rich with tradition. Discover why it has been prized for centuries as the finest bedding material in the world. It sometimes nests by rivers and lakes inland but takes the young to sea right after hatching. Also, many farmers offer eiderdown which has been washed with specifically chosen detergents. According to law, only eiderdown that has passed this strict quality control may be sold in Iceland or worldwide. Much of the world’s eiderdown production takes place in Iceland, where around 2,500 kg (5,511 pounds) is harvested every year. Archeologists have found remnants from the stone age in Finland, and Russia even used it as an insulator in the first astronaut suits. Inspected & certified by Icelandic government. People in the coastal villages have harvested eider duck eggs and down, and fished and hunted seals, but Berglund’s greatest interest lies with the practice of eider farming. Take a ferry to the island community of Vigur, where locals practice the sustainable tradition of eider duck farming. A history of the Skarð family and Skarð Eiderdown. The Icelandic eider duck is a local species that lives along the country’s coast. The common eider duck is one of the most valuable birds of Iceland with eiderdown having being collected and exported since many centuries. Æðarræktarfélag Íslands He finds a sudden 85 percent decline in its population unlikely. Ducklings have been counted yearly since 2007, and sex and age ratios (proportion of yearling drakes) have been estimated yearly since 2010. What makes eiderdown so expensive is the limited supply – the down comes solely from wild female birds and is the … The mechanical process enhances the down’s quality and use. In fact, it’s been illegal to hunt eider ducks in Iceland since 1847. The female eider duck lays 4 to 8 eggs between May and June and carefully insulates the nest against the chilly Arctic weather with its down. A quick search and a phone call later, I'm speaking to Gudrun Gauksdottir, the head of the Iceland Eider Farmers Association. This food is swallowed as a whole and grinded in the stomach. 720 Borgarfjordur eystri Besides its rarity, Icelandic eiderdown’s unique physical properties and sustainable sourcing offer conscientious, luxury consumers a peerless choice when it comes to their bedding. Eiderdown, or eider down, comes from the Common Eider Duck, a large migratory sea duck. And due to its springy, compression-resistant nature, it can retain its form and insulating properties for decades. Bændahöllinni við Hagatorg If you’re interested in learning more about this duck and this cottage industry, check this video from the Eider Farming Association of Iceland: Now, Skarð is one of the most fruitful and valuable pieces of land in the country, especially as it is where the eider duck call home. There’s order to the chaos, creating tiny, insulating pockets of Arctic-beating warmth. Eiderdown farmers collect the down from the nests three to four times a season and the biggest colonies can produce up to 90 kilos of down seasonally. Eider farming and down collection is based on centuries-old traditions. It takes 60-80 nests to produce one kilogram of down. No hard quills or feathers make it cosier and warmer. This symbiotic relationship between man and bird is ingrained in our national identity. Eider duck, or to be more exact, Eider down has been farmed in Iceland for centuries. and warmth. Compared to gold (340t), diamonds (28t), and platinum (160t), there is far less eiderdown in the world than most precious minerals. In exchange for this safe sanctuary, eider ducks leave behind their prized eiderdown when they abandon their nests, which farmers painstakingly collect by hand for processing and production. It usually returns to the area where it hatched to start a nest of its own. It’s so soft, practically weightless. So much so that, in 1847, the government placed the eider duck under official protection and introduced special inspectors to assess the quality of Iceland’s eiderdown! No chemicals are used in the process. Young farm girl with Eider duck eggs. Eider down is harvested in Iceland by specialized eider farmers. From the Queen of England to the Tsars of Russia, eiderdown has been a favourite of European royalty throughout the centuries for its qualities and rarity. In spring the farmers prepare for the arrival of the eider. Down holds a significant volume of air, thus making it very light with great insulation. Eider is the only duck species in Iceland, which is dependent on the sea all year round. The Icelandic Eider Center is a modern museum and knowledge center which invites visitors to learn about the eider duck and the fascinating methods of eiderdown farming in the past and present. At the centre, you will find various eider-down duvets for … Many of the biggest eider colonies in Iceland are located in Breidafjördur, especially in Vestureyjar (Flatey and nearby archipelagos) and at the mouth of Hvammsfjördur. {{purchaseLicenseLabel}} {{restrictedAssetLabel}} {{buyOptionLabel(option)}} You have view only access under this Premium Access agreement. Eider ducks have co-existed with Icelanders since the 9th century when the island was settled. Sleeping with an eiderdown quilt is a warm, light, cozy experience. Shrinks & expands to maintain the perfect temperature. Her adoptive family believes she considers herself a dog or even a person rather than a bird. Unique physical properties and a natural scarcity make it one of Iceland’s most precious natural resources. Located in the town of Stykkishólmur on Breiðafjörður bay, home of large Eider duck breeding grounds and the most extensive eider farming world wide. Keeps you warmer than any other down on the planet. A unique relationship has developed between farmers and eiders. Finally it undergoes further checks in which the last feathers and knots are removed by hand. When it’s safe for the eiders, farmers carefully collect the down. The Eider Center is a modern muse - um and knowledge center which invites vis - itors to learn about the Eider duck and the fascinating methods of eiderdown farming in the past and present. They are open for lunch and dinner all year round. We create special sanctuaries to protect the birds from predators during summer. "The opportunity to tag eider ducks came when we became involved with the Seatrack project in 2014. Over two hundred years ago, a farmer built what is colloquially known as ‘The Eider Duck Hotel’, a small stone wall with built in cubby holes, the perfect refuge for a nesting mother duck. Farmers provide wild eiders protection from predators, patrolling colonies day-and-night during nesting season. Golden Circle Route 2. Icelanders have followed the sustainable practice of eiderdown farming for over 1000 years. Due to hormonal changes prior to and during the nesting period the female sheds over 15 grams of dark grey down from its belly and lines the nest with it. Archeologists have found remnants from the stone age in Finland, and Russia even used it as an insulator in the first astronaut suits. That ever-glowing warmth… how comforting. Eider is a big arctic duck that spends most of its life at sea. Travelers will be able to familiarize themselves with the eider duck’s way of life in an exhibition which the Eider Duck Center of Iceland will open in the Norwegian House (Norska húsid) in Stykkishólmur, west Iceland, in early June.Stykkishólmur, west Iceland, in early June. Also made from Icelandic eiderdown are baby carriage warmers, designer clothing, and souvenir samples of Iceland. Farm girl with Eider duck nest, Iceland - stock photo. The Research Center has, however, not investigated the matter. When an adult eider is two to three years old it begins nesting. Iceland’s only windmill, its oldest working boat and some of its oldest buildings can be found on Vigur as well as (from May to September) 5000 breeding Eider Ducks, some 30,000 puffins, a rare colony of Black Guillemot and more than 100,000 Arctic Terns. The hotel still operates today. Its a superb insulator, and has been gathered for use in bedding and garments since time immemorial. Farmers provide wild eiders protection from predators, patrolling colonies day-and-night during nesting season. Yann Kolbeinsson, biologist at the Northeast Iceland Nature Research Center, has received reports that in some places, the eider duck has been arriving later than average. Twice a year, I spend about a week in a summerhouse which is very close to all the stops of the Golden Circle route and every time I visit Efstidalur at least once, usually more often since we tend to allow our five year old to dictate t… Today, researchers continue studying eider ducks. Do you feel it? This led to an interest in tagging female eider ducks in the Stykkishólmur area. He suggests two possible explanations: Yet it is a very rare natural resource that requires a unique, mutually beneficial, collaboration between human and duck. The tale begins in Önundarfjörður, in the Westfjords, where the Reykjavík family owns a house. Harvested from the nest of eider ducks found wild in Iceland, collecting a kilo of this fluffy material isn't easy, and only 4 metric tons are produced worldwide each year. Under the microscope, it reveals its magic in a chaos of intertwined threads. The Icelandic eider duck is a local species that lives along the country’s coast. They feed on mussels and other hard shelled-crustaceans like sea-snails, crabs, etc. Custom-made quilts are available. IS-107 Reykjavík, Friðlýsingarskilti Æðarræktarfélags Íslands, Friðlýst æðarvörp: Reglur um notkun friðlýsingarskilta. We create special sanctuaries to protect the birds from predators during summer. Skarð in Skarðströnd, Iceland, is both a farm and land that has been inhabited since roughly 1100. In 1847, the eider became a fully protected species. Jón Einar learned to capture female eider ducks from Smári Lúðvíksson, an eider farmer from Rif on the Snæfellsnes peninsula. The common eider duck ranges along the northern coasts of eastern Siberia, Europe and North America. Female Eider duck on her nest (photo credits Jonathan Cannon) Contact Langhus Farm Although we stayed at an actual horse hotel at the beginning of our trip, I decided to leave the best for last – to go horse riding in the North of Iceland. In fact, only four tons of eiderdown is produced globally each year, with 75% of that coming from Iceland. This town has some of the oldest buildings in the country, many beautifully-restored. Throughout the centuries, the inhabitants of Skarð have been amongst the richest in Iceland … The use of eiderdown and the culture of eider farming are rich with tradition. This exposes her body warmth to the eggs while nesting. The supply is dependent on weather conditions each year. They clean the nesting area. The mechanical cleaning of eiderdown is based on the ideas and methods of our forefathers. Among developed nations, only Iceland has preserved eider farming culture. Down is dried immediately after it is gathered and then heated to 120°C in order to disinfect it. This is my personal favourite tourist stop and that is why it is at the top of my list. Global eider duck populations have quickly grown since then. Eiderdown is a rare luxury, 100% natural and hand picked by farmers in Iceland. Maintains its form and unique qualities for decades.
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