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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. The genus name is derived from the Ancient Greek boukephalos ("bullheaded", from bous, "bull " and kephale, "head"), a reference to the bulbous head shape of the bufflehead. The species name is derived from the Latin clangere ("to resound").
Common goldeneyes are aggressive and territorial ducks, and have elaborate courtship displays.
Two subspecies are recognised:
The subspecies B. c. americana has a longer and thicker bill than the nominate B. c. clangula.
Description
Adult males range from and weigh approximately , while females range from and weigh approximately . The common goldeneye has a wingspan of . The species is named for its golden-yellow eyes. Adult males have a dark head with a greenish gloss and a circular white patch below the eye, a dark back and a white neck and belly. Adult females have a brown head and a mostly grey body. Their legs and feet are orange-yellow.
(2025). 9780691162669, Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691162669
Distribution and habitat
Their breeding habitat is the taiga. They are found in the lakes and rivers of boreal forests across Canada and the northern United States, Scotland, Scandinavia, the Baltic States, and northern Russia. They are bird migration and most winter in protected coastal waters or open inland waters at more temperate latitudes. Naturally, they nest in cavities in large trees, where they return year after year, though they will readily use as well.
Behaviour
Breeding
Natural tree cavities chosen for nest sites include those made by broken limbs and those made by large woodpeckers, specifically pileated woodpeckers or . Average egg size is a breadth of , a length of and a weight of . The incubation period ranges from 28 to 32 days. The female does all the incubating and is abandoned by the male about 1 to 2 weeks into incubation. The young remain in the nest for about 24–36 hours. Brood parasitism is quite common with other common goldeneyes, and occurs less frequently with other duck species. The broods commonly start to mix with other females' broods as they become more independent or are abandoned by their mothers. Goldeneye young have been known to be competitively killed by other goldeneye mothers, and . The young are capable of flight at 55–65 days of age.
Food and feeding
Common goldeneyes are diving birds that forage under water. Year-round, about 32% of their prey is , 28% is aquatic and 10% is . are the predominant prey while nesting and are the predominant prey during migration and winter. Locally, fish eggs and aquatic can be important foods.
Predators
They themselves may fall prey to various , and , while females and their broods have been preyed upon by ( Ursus spp.), various ( Mustela spp.), mink ( Mustela vison), ( Procyon lotor) and even ( Colaptes auratus) and American red squirrels ( Tamiasciurus hudsonicus).
Conservation
The common goldeneye is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies. Around 188,300 common goldeneyes were killed annually by in North America during the 1970s, representing slightly less than 4% of the total waterfowl killed in Canada during that period, and less than 1% of the total waterfowl killed in the US. Both the breeding and winter habitats of these birds have been degraded by clearance and pollution. However, the common goldeneye in North America is known to derive short-term benefits from lake acidification.
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