Smith's Nurseries

Jennings

Jennings

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
Just browsing the website of this private (but open to the public) breeder and dealer near Hull and I noticed that they have Steller's Eider in their catalogue. I last saw this taxon at Pensthorpe in the mid-90s and according to Zootierliste only one zoo on their books - the Alaska SeaLife Centre - currently holds them. Are there many in private hands or are Smith's the only UK breeder?

Stellers Eider
 
Jennings said:
Just browsing the website of this private (but open to the public) breeder and dealer near Hull and I noticed that they have Steller's Eider in their catalogue. I last saw this taxon at Pensthorpe in the mid-90s and according to Zootierliste only one zoo on their books - the Alaska SeaLife Centre - currently holds them. Are there many in private hands or are Smith's the only UK breeder?

Stellers Eider
Click to expand...

As far as I'm aware these are the last remaining Steller's eiders in the country however, I can not tell you how many he has. The chap also has the other eider taxa and I believe also some Pacific common eider too.
 
Prochilodus246 said:
As far as I'm aware these are the last remaining Steller's eiders in the country however, I can not tell you how many he has. The chap also has the other eider taxa and I believe also some Pacific common eider too.
Click to expand...

He does indeed have Pacific Eider and has evidently recently bred them as he is offering birds for sale.

Pacific Eider
 
I believe they were bred last year, I think I remember him saying it was difficult finding homes for these as well as species like Anas smithii
 
Ive been there,its on the east side of Hull heading towards Patrington in a village called Thorngumbald...a small enclosed area behind a rather dreary animal feedstuffs building,but full of waterfowl. It was,here,perhaps 5 years ago, that I first heard that Brazilian Mergansers may come out of Brazil (which they did). They are obviously well informed.
 
The gentleman who owns the facility is a wealth of information and has good contacts with a fair few large collections throughout Europe hence why zoos like Cologne have Cape shovelers.
 
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