Common Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye - A 'Common' Duck 

Common Goldeneye Male  [Internet Photo]

The Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) is a common diving duck in New Brunswick.  It can readily be seen in open water in winter as well as in summer.  In summer they prefer ponds and lakes but winter mostly on coastal bays and estuaries.  The male shows a lot of white on its breast, flanks and neck with black on its back, tail and head.  Of importance for identification is the large round white spot on its face and the bright golden eye.  The female is gray with a brown head and a mostly black beak.  In adult breeding females the beak shows yellowish orange on the tip.  It is important to note that the yellowish colour is only on the tip of the beak compared to the beak of the female Barrow's Goldeneye which is all orangish colour, not just the tip.  

The male Common Goldeneye has a roundish head shape without the steep slope to the forehead as in the male Barrow's Goldeneye.  The male Common Goldeneye also has a ladder on its back which is mainly white with black lines which do not extend down into the breast with a spur.  This ladder is very modest compared to the bold ladder on the Barrow's Goldeneye.  

Common Goldeneye Male (Back); Barrow's Goldeneyes Male (Front) [Internet Photo]

In the photo above note the comparative differences in the facial spot and the ladder in both species.  These two species are very closely related but not difficult to tell apart with experience.

The Common Goldeneye has a wide range throughout Canada.  Their summer/breeding range covers most of Canada.  They permanently inhabit southern Quebec, the Maritimes and the very southern part of most of Canada.  They winter in most of the United States except some parts of the southeast.  

Common Goldeneyes breed on wooded lakes and ponds.  They nest in tree cavities and will use the same cavity in succeeding years.  Five to nineteen pale green eggs are laid in the down-filled nest and are incubated for 28 to 32 days by the female.  Common Goldeneyes feed on insects, crustaceans, mollusks, small fish and aquatic plants.  These are diving ducks so they feed in deep water.  What you often see is most of the flock on the water and they often all dive about the same time.  If you watch for a couple of minutes you then see them pop up one by one to the surface.  They seem very buoyant and appear to come up perfectly dry.  

Common Goldeneyes are vocal and the male often make a 'jeeeep' sound.  The males in breeding season perform enthusiastically for the females by putting their heads back onto their backs.  The male in the photo at the top of this post is performing.  

Common Goldeneye Female [Internet Photo]

When the Common Goldeneye is in flight its rapid wingbeats make a loud whistling sound which is a good identifier for this species.  That is the reason many hunters call them, 'Whistlers'.  This species has adapted to the acidification of lakes and is the only North American duck to have done so.  It feeds on the acid-tolerant insects in lakes that have been acidified.  Most fish cannot live in these environments so there is a preponderance of acid-tolerant insects.  

An interesting fact about Common Goldeneyes is that the females typically return to breed to the areas in which they were hatched.  They then return to this area year after year.  So, the ducks you seen around your locale in breeding season have likely been hatched there and have come there every summer.  They are truly 'our ducks'.  Let's do our best to protect them.