Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

With its piercing yellow eyes and striking black-and-white plumage, this diving duck cuts a bold figure on lakes and coastal waters worldwide.

Visual Identification

Appearance

The Common Goldeneye is a striking medium-sized duck with a distinctive large, rounded head. Males have a dark green-black head with a circular white patch near the bill, contrasting with a white body and black back. The eyes are bright golden-yellow, giving the species its name.

Females are more subdued, with a chocolate-brown head, grey body, and white collar. Both sexes have a black bill, orange legs, and white wing patches visible in flight.

Once breeding is complete, male Goldeneyes molt into a basic plumage similar to the female, although the non-breeding male’s head is a darker shade of brown-black, and the bold wing patterning remains.

Juvenile Goldeneyes are similar to females and may be easily confused with non-breeding males. Immature birds lack the yellow bill tip seen in adult females, and their eyes are darker brown.

Size

Length

40cm to 51cm

Wingspan

65cm to 80cm

Weight

600g to 1.4kg

Colours

Male Female

Primary Colour

Black White

Secondary Colour

Green

Beak Colour

Black

Leg Colour

Orange

Primary Colour (Female)

Brown Grey

Secondary Colour (Female)

White

Beak Colour (Female)

Black

Leg Colour (Female)

Orange

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Goldeneye is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Goldeneye is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Goldeneye can be found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Goldeneye can be found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Goldeneye is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Goldeneye is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Goldeneye is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Goldeneye is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Goldeneye is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Goldeneye is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Goldeneye is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Goldeneye is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Common Goldeneyes inhabit boreal forests near lakes, rivers, and coastal areas across North America, Europe, and Asia. They breed in taiga regions, nesting in tree cavities near water bodies.

During winter, they migrate to ice-free coastal areas and inland waters. They are common in North America along both coasts and the Great Lakes. In Europe, they winter along the Baltic and North Sea coasts and on large inland lakes.

Goldeneyes’ breeding territories within the US include much of inland Alaska, with an absence in the extreme coastal regions. They also breed in forested regions throughout Canada, mainly concentrated in the region from Labrador through central Ontario to British Columbia.

In winter, up to 21,000 individuals arrive across the UK from northern breeding territories in Scandinavia, and the best chances of a sighting are at lakes and sheltered bays in north and western England between August and March.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 2,000 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subarctic

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Goldeneye. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons