On the breeding grounds, aquatic insects make up the bulk of the diet, and in fact, goldeneyes prefer ponds that lack insect-eating fish which compete for prey. Along the Atlantic coast, birds winter from Newfoundland to Florida and on the Pacific coast from the Aleutian Chain south to California. They are fast fliers; their wings make a distinctive whistling sound in flight. This is both true on land and in the water. After incubation begins, the males undergo a molt migration, which is usually a short distance and often in a northerly direction to larger lakes, bays, and rivers. Consult a field guide or an experienced observer, consider range and habitat, and study nearby males for clues about which female and juvenile goldeneyes might be present. minor updates 2 Mar 2010 Identifying female goldeneyes is extremely challenging. Forehead slopes gradually to meet the bill. They winter primarily in marine areas, in shallow protected bays, estuaries, and large lakes with a sandy, gravel, or rocky substrate. Females typically return to the areas where they hatched (philopatry), and once they breed, often return to the same nesting site year after year. Medium-sized grayish-brown duck with a triangular head and a sloping bill. Some may move from the interior to the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and south along the Mississippi and Snake rivers. It slopes smoothly downward from the face, giving the head an overall triangular shape. Females have a warm brown head that contrasts with its gray body. Warm brown head contrasts with grayish body. They themselves may fall prey to various hawks, owls and eagles, while females and their broods have been preyed upon by bears (Ursus spp.
), various weasels (Mustela spp. The broods commonly start to mix with other females' broods as they become more independent or are abandoned by their mothers. Females return to the same breeding sites year after year and also tend to use the same nesting sites. The bill is blackish, becoming yellow near the tip, and the legs and feet are yellowish.
The female Common Goldeneye has a gray body, brown head, and yellow eyes. Locally, fish eggs and aquatic plants can be important foods. Nests are located in cavities in large trees, 5 to 60 feet above the ground. It is one of the last ducks to migrate south in the fall and will winter as far north as they can find ice-free water. When females are nearby, males frequently display by stretching the head backward against their back and then popping their head forward. Discover Life's page about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification and distribution of Anatidae - Swans -- Discover Life. In flight, shows extensive white on inner half of blackish wing. And preening. (2003). [2] The incubation period ranges from 28 to 32 days. Medium-sized, mostly brown duck; immatures lacks golden eye of adults. The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds, birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation. The upper wings are brownish-black with the middle five secondaries colored white. He also has a prominent round or oval white spot on each side of his face at the base of his black bill. Broods will sometimes join other broods in a large crèche. The common goldeneye, like the Barrow's goldeneye, is named for its brilliant yellow iris. These territorial displays average about 6 minutes in length and often trigger other males to perform their own show. Feeds mainly along shorelines in relatively shallow water where it dives under water for aquatic invertebrates, fish, and fish eggs. Common Goldeneye, Bucephala clangula, male, Detroit River, Ontario, Canada. Differences are subtle, subjective, and inconsistent, but experienced observers still build up a “template” of expected impressions that allow them to identify the species with confidence. They are found in the lakes and rivers of boreal forests across Canada and the northern United States, Scandinavia, the Baltic States, and northern Russia.
[2] Naturally, they nest in cavities in large trees, where they return year after year,[5] though they will readily use nest boxes as well.[6]. Goldeneyes are aggressive and territorial, and the male performs spectacular and complex courtship displays. Goldeneyes are cavity-nesting ducks and generally require forested habitat with mature trees (deciduous or coniferous) that offer suitable nesting cavities. "Discovery of important post breeding sites for Barrow's goldeneye in the boreal transition zone of Alberta". However, the common goldeneye in North America is known to derive short-term benefits from lake acidification. The common goldeneye, like the Barrow's goldeneye, is named for its brilliant yellow iris. Female. The female typically lays 7 to 10 eggs and incubates them for 28 to 32 days. Along coastal wintering grounds they feed largely on crustaceans, mollusks, small fishes and some plant material. Common Goldeneyes are among the least common breeding ducks in Washington, found nesting only in the northeastern portion of the state, with most birds nesting in north-central and northeastern Canada. Brood parasitism is quite common with other common goldeneyes,[8] and occurs less frequently with other duck species. Another characteristic of Common Goldeneyes is their tendency to prefer acidified water. Male common goldeneyes have blackish iridescent green heads with a white circular patch between the eye and the base of the bill. Their breeding habitat consists of wooded lakes and ponds primarily in northwestern North America, but also in scattered locations in eastern Canada and Iceland. Mating pairs often stay intact even though the male and female are apart for long periods of time over the summer during molting times. The nest itself is a depression in existing material (wood chips, leaves, or material from a previous nest) lined with down.
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