# Common Goldeneye (*Bucephala clangula*) The Common Goldeneye is a beautiful duck with a shiny green head and a round body. They love to dive underwater to find food like fish and plants, making them fun to watch! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 8 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Common Goldeneye](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Common_Goldeneye.jpg&width=800) Photo: Calibas, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Common_Goldeneye.jpg) ## Appearance The Common Goldeneye male has a striking iridescent green-black head with a distinct circular white patch near the bill and bright yellow eyes. Females feature a chocolate-brown head, a white neck collar, and a grey body, also with vibrant yellow eyes. This combination makes them visually distinctive from other diving ducks. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Anseriformes - **Family:** Anatidae - **Genus:** Bucephala ## Interesting facts - Female Goldeneyes sometimes lay their eggs in another duck's nest! - Goldeneye ducklings can swim and feed themselves just hours after hatching! - Male Goldeneyes perform a funny "head-throw-kick" dance to impress females. - They get their name from their striking, bright yellow eyes that really stand out. ## Special abilities - **Deep Diver:** Common Goldeneye can dive up to 6 meters deep because of their heavy bones and powerful webbed feet, helping them hunt for prey. - **Cavity Nester:** Common Goldeneye can nest in tree hollows up to 10 meters high, protecting eggs and ducklings from ground predators. - **Underwater Vision:** Common Goldeneye has specialized eyes that quickly adjust to light changes, allowing clear vision both above and below water. - **Fast Takeoff:** Common Goldeneye can spring directly from the water into flight without a running start, escaping danger quickly. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 42-50 cm - **Wingspan:** 66-80 cm - **Weight:** 0.8-1.3 kg - **Lifespan:** 8-12 years - **Speed:** 72 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 6-12 - **Incubation:** 28-32 days - **Migration Distance:** 2000 km ## Diet & Feeding Common Goldeneyes dive underwater to catch a variety of small aquatic animals like fish, insects, and crustaceans. - **Primary Foods:** Small fish, Aquatic insect larvae, Mollusks, Crustaceans, Amphibians - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Yellow Perch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-perch) (*Perca flavescens*) — Small fish are a primary food source for diving Goldeneyes. - **Hunts:** [American Mink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-mink) (*Mustela vison*) — Agile mink are predators of Goldeneye eggs, ducklings, and adults. - **Hunts:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — Fast-flying falcons can hunt adult Goldeneyes in the air. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Common Goldeneye? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Common Goldeneye? 42-50 cm ### What is Common Goldeneye's wingspan? 66-80 cm ### How much does Common Goldeneye weigh? 0.8-1.3 kg ### How long does Common Goldeneye live? 8-12 years ### How fast can Common Goldeneye move? 72 km/h ### What does Common Goldeneye eat? Common Goldeneyes dive underwater to catch a variety of small aquatic animals like fish, insects, and crustaceans. ### Where is Common Goldeneye usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Brooks River Archeological District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brooks-river-archeological-district) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [Verona Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/verona-park) — New Jersey, US · Park - [Gakona Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gakona-historic-district) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [Illahee State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/illahee-state-park) — Washington, US · State Park - [Carl S. English, Jr., Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/carl-s-english-jr-botanical-gardens) — Washington, US · Botanical Garden - [Knights Ferry](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/knights-ferry) — California, US · Historic Site [View all places to see Common Goldeneye](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-goldeneye) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Common Goldeneye: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-goldeneye)