Goldeneye  (Bucephala clangula)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Description

The goldeneye is a well-known attractive diving duck (5). It has a compact shape, with a large rounded head. The upper part of the forewing is white and the undersides of the wings are dark (2). In breeding plumage, the adult male (drake) has a glossy green sheen to the black head, obvious yellow eyes, a white patch in front of the eye and white sides and breast (3). Females have a brown head, a white collar, pale yellow eyes, and the breast and sides are greyish in colour (2). Juveniles are similar in appearance to females but the head is a more greyish brown (2). The goldeneye is not a very vocal duck; a quiet ‘krrr’ is occasionally produced (6) and when displaying, males emit a loud ‘zee-zee’ call (3). In flight the wings produce a whistling or rattling sound (6).

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