The Common Goldeneye is a circumpolar diving duck. Take a summer trip to Scandinavia or Russia and you may see this same species that you see on the Edmonds waterfront in winter. It is a duck that prefers forested lakes and rivers, but in winter it frequents salt water bays and sea coasts.

The Common Goldeneye is more numerous than the Barrow’s Goldeneye, which is also a winter resident of the Edmonds waterfront. It can be seen in small flocks or larger concentrations. Smaller flocks are what we see locally. It is a more social species that mixes freely with other ducks, according to one authoritative source. Another states that this duck only mixes with Barrow’s Goldeneyes. It certainly associates with Buffleheads, another species in the same genus Bucephala, along the Edmonds waterfront. It can also be seen occasionally with scoters.

Diet varies with the season. When on salt water, the Common Goldeneye consumes crustaceans such as shrimp, crab, crayfish, and amphipods. It also eats mollusks such as mussels. Small fish, marine worms, and even frogs are part of its diet. When feeding, you can see all birds in a small flock dive at the same time. Aquatic insects are its main source of food in summer when the Common Goldeneye is on its breeding territory.

North American breeding territory is mostly north of the contiguous 48 states. Locally, some pairs of Common Goldeneyes breed in northeastern Washington, such as Pend Oreille, Stevens, and Ferry Counties. This duck first breeds at the age of two. Pairs form in late winter. A typical courtship display of the drake is throwing its head back, pointing its bill skyward, and uttering a shrill call. Ritualized head-pumping is also a courtship display. You may see examples of this behavior on the waterfront now.

The Common Goldeneye is a cavity nester. It uses large trees and cavities that are 5 – 60 feet above ground. All cavity-nesting species are vulnerable because of the loss of appropriate nesting trees. This duck will use nest boxes. Its nest is a depression of wood chips lined with down. There are usually 7 – 10 eggs incubated by the hen for about a month. The young leave the nest a day or two after hatching and the hen leads them to water. They feed themselves but remain with the hen, probably until the age of first flight, which is 55 – 65 days.

The drake in flight has been described as a black-and-white bowling pin on wings. Hunters refer to the Common Goldeneye as Whistler because of the sounds of its wings. A recordist captured the song of a Common Goldeneye drake in Sweden one April: https://www.xeno-canto.org/197022 . This is the sound of wing noise, recorded in Finland one May: https://www.xeno-canto.org/207108 .

— By Carol Riddell

Carol Riddell manages the bird education displays, on behalf of Pilchuck Audubon Society and Edmonds Parks & Recreation, at the Olympic Beach Visitor Station.