People who live in Iceland and many other northern islands are well acquainted with the eider duck. They are seen each May and June when large numbers of them migrate there to nest and raise their young. These pretty marbled-brown birds, with a gentle disposition, weigh about five pounds and live entirely on seafood while in the breeding grounds. They are wonderful divers, their big webbed feet propelling them down through the water to the bottom where they find crabs, mussels and oysters to eat.
On these far-northern islands there is no brush, trees or swamps in which to make nests — only level ground. At this time of year great areas are covered with low green grasses in which their shallow nests are made. These are cleverly hidden, so that a person walking in the area needs to keep a sharp lookout to avoid stepping on a mother duck sitting on her yellow eggs. Because there are so many present at one time, they nest close together. It is interesting that they never make the mistake of going to a wrong nest. During the four weeks of incubating her eggs, the mother duck never eats and only leaves the nest for a short time each morning to take a bath.
The Creator has provided the eider with warm feathers and down to preserve it from the intense cold of the northern climate. After laying her eggs (often in the same nest year after year) the female plucks a large quantity of this fine down from her body with her broad bill and makes an eiderdown “comforter,” covering the eggs with it. If she did not do this the eggs would chill and spoil when she took her morning bath, and the little ones would never hatch. Isn’t it wonderful how the Lord God, the Creator, has taught them to do this? There is always a market for the soft down (which sells for about $300 a pound), for it has better insulating quality than any manmade fibers. Warm blankets, jackets, lining in outdoor clothing, etc. are made from it. The mother duck is very gentle and allows men to lift her off the nest and remove the down. After she is replaced on the nest, she plucks more down from her breast and makes a new covering for her eggs. During the nesting season she allows this to happen twice, but will desert her nest and its eggs if it’s done a third time. The down is so light that it takes three-dozen nests to make a pound.
The Bible verse at the beginning of this article likens the Lord’s care over His own to that of birds such as the eider. But His love and care are far greater than that of the most loving bird. His expression concerning it is “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:33The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. (Jeremiah 31:3). He has fully shown this love by giving His life on Calvary’s cross to wash away the sins of all who will accept Him as their Saviour. Are you sheltered “under His wings"?
ML-01/20/1985