About Common Goldeneye

Description

Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) have distinct yellow eyes, thus their name. They can get up to 20 inches long and weigh around 3 pounds. Males have what look like white cheeks, females have solid brown heads. Their bodies are black, gray, and white, and their legs are yellow-orange.

Breeding

Female Common Goldeneye will nest in a tree cavity or nest box, lined with downy feathers from chest of female. They may lay eggs in the nest of other birds. Some brood are abandoned after hatching left to join the brood of another female. The same thing may happen after a fight among females in which one of the mothers die.

Diet & Habitat

Goldeneye forage underwater, diving to feast upon crustaceans, insects, mollusks, aquatic invertebrates, occasionally small fish and vegetation. Flocks will often dive together someone synchronized.

Common Goldeneye are one of the last ducks to leave Alaska with winter migration.