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Barrow's Goldeneye

Bucephala islandicaOrder: ANSERIFORMESFamily: Geese and Ducks (Anatidae)

Barrrow's Goldeneye Male Portrait
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Barrow's Goldeneye Variations

Barrrow's Goldeneye: Male
Default description
Barrrow's Goldeneye: Male
Barrow's Goldeneye: Female
Default description
Barrow's Goldeneye: Female

General

Barrow's Goldeneye: Medium-sized diving duck with black upperparts, contrasting white shoulder bars, and white underparts. Head is large, glossy, and purple-black with golden yellow eyes and a crescent-shaped white patch behind a usually dark bill. White wing patches are visible in flight. Female has dark brown hood, white collar, dark gray body, white wing patches, and usually yellow-orange bill. Juvenile resembles female but has darker bill; juvenile male has a faint white crescent on face.

Range and Habitat

Barrow's Goldeneye: Breeds in Alaska, western Canada, and the northwest U.S.; also breeds in eastern Canada. Spends winters from southern Alaska, south along coast to central California, and locally from southern British Columbia and northern Montana, south to southwestern Arizona, Utah, and Colorado; winters along east coast. Preferred habitats include open lakes and small ponds, inland lakes and rivers; winters almost exclusively on saltwater.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"ka-kaa"

Interesting Facts

  • The Barrow’s Goldeneye was named for Sir John Barrow, an English statesman.
  • It is rather long-lived for a duck, with one individual reaching 18 years of age. Most females do not breed until they are three years old.
  • Once the ducklings leave the nest, the broods of different females often come together and are taken care of by a single female.
  • A group of ducks has many collective nouns, including a "brace", "flush", "paddling", "raft", and "team" of ducks.


Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Barrow's Goldeneye
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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.
Family
Species Bucephala islandica
Length16 - 20 Inches
Wingspan31 Inches

Barrow's Goldeneye

Barrow's Goldeneye: Medium diving duck with black upperparts, contrasting white shoulder bars, white underparts. Head is large, glossy, and purple-black with golden yellow eyes and a crescent-shaped white patch behind a dark bill. White wing patches are visible in flight. Yellow legs and feet.

● Song: "ka-kaa"

● Foraging & Feeding: Barrow's Goldeneye: In inland areas during summer and fall, feeds on aquatic insects, crustaceans, and aquatic plants. Along coastal wintering grounds, feeds largely on crustaceans, mollusks, small fish, and some plant material; forages by diving from the surface.

● Breeding & nesting: Barrow's Goldeneye: Five to fifteen pale olive or blue green eggs are laid in a nest in a tree or rock cavity up to 50 feet above the ground; may nest on the ground under a bush. Nest is built by the female and lined with down and grass. Incubation ranges from 28 to 34 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Barrow's Goldeneye: Male Common Goldeneye has round (not crescent) spot between eye and bill and glossy green head.

Flight Pattern

Swift direct flight, wings make whistling noise
Barrrow's Goldeneye: Male
● Range & Habitat: Barrow's Goldeneye: Breeds in Alaska, western Canada, and the northwest U.S.; also breeds in eastern Canada. Spends winters from southern Alaska, south along coast to central California, and locally from southern British Columbia and northern Montana, south to southwestern Arizona, Utah, and Colorado; winters along east coast. Preferred habitats include open lakes and small ponds, inland lakes and rivers; winters almost exclusively on saltwater.
BreedingMonogamous
PopulationUncommon to fairly common
MigrationMigratory
Weight38.4 Ounces