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These distinctively shaped, large-headed ducks dive for their food, eating mostly aquatic invertebrates and fish. They nest in tree cavities in the boreal forest of Canada and Alaska; look for them on large rivers, lakes, and Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts in winter.
Bucephala clangula Pair Female goldeneye with chicks. The common goldeneye or simply goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) is a medium-sized sea duck of the genus Bucephala, the goldeneyes. Its closest relative is the similar Barrow's goldeneye.
These distinctively shaped, large-headed ducks dive for their food, eating mostly aquatic invertebrates and fish. They nest in tree cavities in the boreal forest of Canada and Alaska; look for them on large rivers, lakes, and Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts in winter.
Audubon’s scientists have used 140 million bird observations and sophisticated climate models to project how climate change will affect the range of the Common Goldeneye. Learn even more in our Audubon’s Survival By Degrees project.
Learn more about Common Goldeneye from…. A striking medium-sized duck. Widespread across much of North America, Europe, and Asia, where it is found in a variety of wetland habitats. Breeds on lakes, ponds, and marshes, and winters on inland lakes and rivers or coastal bays and nearshore waters.
Common Goldeneyes are compact, fast-flying ducks that reach speeds of over 40 miles an hour. In flight their wings make a distinctive whistling noise. Unlike many diving ducks, they only need to run or “patter” a short 3 to 6 feet across the water before taking off.
Common Goldeneyes are hunted across Canada, with the largest numbers traditionally taken in eastern Canada. The total number of Common Goldeneyes taken in Canada has been decreasing since the 1980s concurrently with the decline in waterfowl hunters.
In North America, the Common Goldeneye breeds in tree cavities across the boreal forest regions of Canada and Alaska. The Western population has shown a stable or decreasing trend in the last two decades following a long-term increase between the 1960s and the 1990s.
Sep 3, 2023 · Discover the stunning beauty of the Common Goldeneye! Learn about their elegant plumage, intriguing behavior, and why these ducks are a must-see for any nature enthusiast.
This species has undergone a small or statistically insignificant increase over the last 40 years in North America (data from Breeding Bird Survey and/or Christmas Bird Count: Butcher and Niven 2007). In Europe the population size is estimated to be stable (BirdLife International 2015).
