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Common Goldeneye
Bucephala clangula
Interesting and Fun Facts: The female Common Goldeneye often lays eggs in the nest of another female and she may even lay eggs in the nests of other species of ducks as well. The Wood Duck and Hooded Merganser will lay eggs in the Goldeneye's nest also.
The common goldeneye's scientific name derives from the Greek word boukephalos, which means ox- or buffalo-headed, in reference to the bird's oversized head, and clangula, which is Latin for "small noise," a reference to the whistling sound made by the goldeneye's wings in flight.
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Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Bucephala |
Audio for Species
Call
from Macaulay Library |
Species Related Links
Additional Common Goldeneye Pictures |
Male
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Description
Length: 15.7-20.1 in (40-51 cm) Weight: 21.2-45.9 oz (600-1300 g) Wingspan: 30.3-32.7 in (77-83 cm)
They are a diving duck with a medium size body
The male has a iridescent green to black head, with a bright oval white patch on side of face at the base of the bill. Sides, breast, belly, and secondaries are bright white. The back, wings, and tail are black. Short, triangular black bill. Eyes are a golden yellow.
The female has a burnt umber head. with back, wings, and tail a stone-gray. The flanks, belly, and breast are white. Eyes pale yellow to white. She has a short, triangular bill black with yellow tip of variable length.
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Female
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Habitat, Range, and Feeding
Winters mainly in marine waters, bays and harbors, as well as in large inland lakes and rivers, They breed along lakes and rivers bordered by forest, and other wetlands.
They nest in tree cavites or nest boxs, that is lined with downy feathers from the chest of the female. The clutch size is 5 to 16, that are a shiny green.
They eat aquatic invertebrates, and occasionally small fish and vegetation which is less than 25% of their diet. Their winter diet is mainly mollusks and crustaceans.
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Bird Page Created By: Don Wallace. Photography: © 2011 Don Wallace
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Railroad Bridge Park, 2151 West Hendrickson
Road, PO Box 2450, Sequim, WA 98382
360-681-4076 - rivercenter@olympus.net |
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