Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

Wings whistle audibly in flight, earning it the nickname 'whistler.' Your message arrives announced.

Population: ~2.7–4.7 million individuals globally (stable trend); European breeding population ~489,000–623,000 pairs (~977,000–1,250,000 mature individuals)
Habitat: Boreal forest lakes, rivers, and ponds during breeding (nests in tree cavities near water, readily uses nest boxes); winters on sheltered coastal waters (bays, estuaries, harbors) and open inland lakes/rivers at more temperate latitudes
Fun fact: Common Goldeneye ducklings hatch in tree cavities well above the ground and, within about a day of hatching, leap from the nest entrance to the ground or water below completely unharmed, then follow their mother to a rearing pond.
Range: Breeds across the boreal/subarctic zone from Scotland through Scandinavia, the Baltic states, and Russia to Mongolia/northern China, and across Alaska and Canada to the northern USA; winters on coastal northern/southeastern Europe, central Asia, eastern China, Korea, Japan, and along both coasts and interior of the temperate United States and southern Canada
Diet: Diving duck feeding mainly on aquatic invertebrates — crustaceans (~32%), aquatic insects (~28%), and molluscs (~10%); also takes small fish, fish eggs, and some aquatic vegetation, with insects dominating the diet during the breeding season and crustaceans/molluscs more prominent in winter
Size: 0.46 m
Wingspan: 0.8 m
Lifespan: 20 years

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