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Common Goldeneyes are medium sized ducks with large heads. The bill is fairly small and narrow. It slopes smoothly downward from the face, giving the head an overall triangular shape. Goldeneyes are diving ducks with streamlined bodies and short tails.
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. [2] .
Common Goldeneyes breed in the boreal forest, so winter is the best time for most people in North America to see them. Look for them in flocks on fairly large bodies of water. Most goldeneyes winter on protected coastal waters, but you can still find them fairly readily on inland lakes as well.
Common Goldeneye. Breeding adult male. Photo: Joan Tisdale/Audubon Photography Awards. At a Glance. This is by far the more numerous of the two goldeneye species, often seen in small flocks, sometimes in large concentrations. When feeding, all the birds in one section of a flock may dive at the same time.
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.
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.
