This compact diving duck gets its name from its bright yellow eyes. In flight, rapid deep wingbeats produce a distinctive whistling sound. Common Goldeneyes are distinguished from Barrow’s Goldeneyes in all plumages by the shape of the head. Commons have a sloping forehead leading up to a tall peaked crown. The forehead on Barrow’s rises vertically from the base of the bill (sometimes extending forward) to form a peak at the front of their flat crown. Male: Dark iridescent green head with a large white oval patch near the base of the bill. Breast, sides, belly, and secondaries are white. The back, wings, and tail area are black. In flight, the white wing coverts and white secondaries form a large patch covering most of the inner half of the upper wing surface. Female: The head is dull brown. Lower breast, sides, and back are gray, and the belly is white. A white speculum is sometimes visible. When the bird extends her neck, the pale neck and upper breast may form a broad whitish neck ring. The short bill is mostly black with a yellow tip, but the amount of yellow varies with the individual.

Length: 41 (cm) Wingspan: 64 (cm)

Voice:

Usually quiet. Male gives a short buzzy jeeeet during courtship.

Habitat:

Nests in tree cavities near lakes, rivers, and wetlands. Winters on coastal bays and on large lakes and rivers that remain ice-free.

Behavior:

Males perform elaborate courtship rituals, including laying their heads back over their backs, then flinging them forward.

Feeding:

Dives for aquatic insects, mollusks, and crustaceans.