Some people find the winter months a bleak time for watching local birds because most of the colorful songbirds have fled to warmer climes. Fortunately, our warming winters mean we can enjoy Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays, and a few other pretty faces but all those showy warblers are long gone. I enjoy this time of year for the unique birds visiting from the far northern reaches of North America, especially beauties like the Long-tailed Duck, Harlequin Ducks, and the occasional King Eider if we get lucky.

One of my favorites is the Common Goldeneye, a handsome, medium-sized diving duck known for its appearance, active behavior, and unusual whistling wings. Found in northern latitudes around the globe, I have seen these birds in Northern Europe, Alaska, and Iceland, as well as Maine. The birds make the long annual flight from the boreal forests where they breed to the warmer coastal and inland waters where they spend the winter on open water.

The Common Goldeneye sexes are quite different in their plumage, what scientists refer to as sexual dimorphism. The breeding male or drake displays brilliant contrasting black and white feathers on the body. Its most distinctive feature is a large, triangular-shaped head, which varies between black and iridescent, glossy dark green, depending upon the light. Drakes show a large, round white patch below the base of its black bill. You cannot miss that brilliant gold eye even at a long distance.

The female or hen is naturally less colorful but still lovely, with a chocolate-brown head, a paler yellow eye, and mottled gray body, wings, and tail. You may notice her creamy-white collar around the neck. The Common Goldeneye is a relatively compact duck weighing around three pounds, up to 20 inches in length with a wingspan just over 30 inches. Their wing beats in flight are very quick, allowing the birds to exceed 40 miles per hour especially when flying downwind.

The duck’s scientific name is Bucephala clangula. The genus name Bucephala is derived from Greek words meaning “bull-headed,” while the species name clangula comes from the Latin word clangere, meaning “to resound” or “to clang,” which references the whistling sound of its wings in flight. In still, cold conditions over a winter marsh, it is sometimes possible to hear these birds winging your way before you spot them.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds” identification tips are quite useful for picking out these birds, especially in mixed flocks on winter waters, often in low light conditions. It is easy to confuse the drake with the less frequent Barrow’s Goldeneye unless you get a good look at the white spot on their cheeks – the Barrow’s spot is more teardrop-shaped than round. You have to look closely at the hens to avoid confusion with either the Barrow’s or the Bufflehead – the key is the coloration of the bill, black with only the yellow tip for the Common hen.

The Common Goldeneye breeds primarily in the boreal forests in places like Alaska, Northern Canada and upper Scandinavia. Breeding birds favor clear, freshwater bodies—lakes, ponds, and rivers—with an abundance of aquatic invertebrates and mature timber. The drake’s courtship display is characterized by a series of rapid movements, most famously what is called the “head-throw kick.” The male quickly rears his head back until it touches his back, displaying his iridescent green head and bright white neck patch. Simultaneously, he thrusts his feet backward, causing his entire body to pop up out of the water while giving a low, raspy call. He also shows rhythmic head-bobbing, making ripples in the water.

These displays take place in late winter and early spring, before migrating back to their breeding territories. The goal, of course, is to impress a female and secure a mate for the upcoming nesting season. Often this involves a group of drakes, making it an active and competitive show.

The species is a cavity nester, requiring either natural tree cavities, often excavated and abandoned by woodpeckers, or nest boxes where they are provided. The opening needs to be large enough for her to enter, but small enough to offer protection from predators. The hen does not build a nest of twigs or grass. She simply lines the bottom of the cavity with wood chips already present in the hole and, once she begins laying eggs, she plucks soft down feathers from her body to insulate the eggs.

Nests have been spotted as high as 60 feet above the ground, and females may be loyal to successful nesting locations, returning year after year. A healthy hen may lay up to 12 eggs, colored olive-green to blue-green. The hen performs all incubation, which runs approximately one month, spending most of the time on the nest except for short breaks to feed. Tiny ducklings may depart the nest after just one to two days, risking a long tumble but following their mother to the water. The ducklings are known as precocial, able to forage on their own, learning from their protective mother but not being fed by her.

The Common Goldeneye is a diving duck which means that it feeds almost exclusively underwater, unlike dabbling ducks such as the Mallard that feed on the surface or only in shallow water. Divers use their large feet for propulsion, which allows them to swim rapidly underwater and reach depths down to 20 feet. Because their legs are short and located toward the back of the body, divers are not well equipped for walking or standing on land as are the dabblers. You may also notice that divers ride lower in the water since they are not as buoyant as the dabblers.

Their diet varies seasonally and is dependent upon the quality of their habitat. They consume mostly aquatic insects, such as larvae, water boatmen, and nymphs of dragonflies and mayflies, which are essential for growing ducklings. Studies have indicated the birds may prefer fishless lakes to avoid competition for these invertebrates. During winter, especially along coastal areas, the diet shifts to include more crustaceans like crayfish or mollusks such as snails and mussels. They also consume small fish and some plant matter like pondweed seeds.

Given the remote areas where the Common Goldeneye spends most of the year it is difficult to determine precise population figures. Scientists consider the population numbers stable across its global range, with an estimated North American population of about one million birds. It is currently listed as Least Concern on the Red List published by the ICUN (International Union for Conservation).

Yet the Goldeneye is subject to threats from habitat degradation on its wintering grounds, including the loss of coastal wetlands and increased sediment loads in rivers, lowering mollusk and crustacean populations. Global warming is likely to have ongoing impacts upon boreal forests. The quality of the nesting site is often the limiting factor for Goldeneye populations, making the conservation of old-growth forests and the provision of nest boxes vital for breeding success.

Historically, the Common Goldeneye has been a species targeted by hunters, particularly in North America, but hunting these swift birds is challenging and potentially dangerous when icy winter winds rocket across open waters. Because of their diet, the birds are not considered as palatable as the dabbling ducks. Overall, harvest numbers represent a small fraction of the total waterfowl take and do not threaten the population. There is a strong market for artwork and decoys representing these stunning birds, with the work of noted artists and carvers commanding substantial prices.

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