In 1950s the Common Eider was a very rare species in the Black Sea region, migrating there only irregularly. A decade later, 9–14 males wintered in Black Sea bays. A few pairs attempted to breed there but their nests were flooded by storms. The first records (2 pairs) of successful breeding come from 1975. By the mid-1990s, the total number of breeding pairs had reached almost 1000.