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Barrow's Goldeneye

Bucephala islandicaOrder: ANSERIFORMESFamily: Geese and Ducks (Anatidae)
Barrrow's Goldeneye Male Portrait
  Splitbar
Range Map for Barrow's Goldeneye

Overview

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.

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.

Splitbar

Listen:

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Voice Text

"ka-kaa"

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Related Birds:

Surf Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
.

Copyright © 2005 WBFI Research Foundation Bird database and its related content and media is Copyright (C) 2002 - 2005 Mitch Waite Group All rights reserved.

Family Diving Ducks (Anatidae)_blue
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