from 1966 to 2014 (All About Birds 2020). Fairly common on inland lakes and rivers as well as coastal waters. Washington, however, has a daily bag limit of 2 goldeneyes in one of their zones. By 1998, when Hertzel and Janssen published an updated breeding distribution map, nothing had changed. For details see the Data Methods Section. Written by Ryan Lisson| August 4, 2020|
1995). Cavities are often old Pileated Woodpecker holes, natural cavities made from torn branches, or artificial nest boxes. “2015 Waterfowl Breeding Population Survey Minnesota.” In Status of Wildlife Populations, Fall 2015, Wetland Wildlife, edited by Margaret H. Dexter, 95–115. Bringing a thermos of coffee or hot soup always makes things more enjoyable in the duck blind too. Click below if you have interest in any of these photos, SOUTH DAKOTA BIRDS AND BIRDING - LOCATIONS OF WEBSITE VISITORS, Click 1994. Birds in Minnesota. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135350, National Audubon Society. River valleys tend to funnel inland migrants to some extent. While the breeding population is tough to estimate due to their remote woodland breeding habitats, it’s believed that populations were stable or even increased from 1966 to 2014 (All About Birds 2020). The availability of suitable nest cavities may also be a primary limiting factor for the population (Eadie et al. Sayler, Rodney D., and Alan D. Afton. The Common Goldeneye is a medium-sized sea-duck native to the lakes and rivers of Canada, the northern United States, Scandinavia and Russia. here to hear the vocalizations and flight sounds of a female. Migration peaks occur in November and March/April. Little has changed in the intervening years since Roberts wrote his comprehensive account of the species. To reduce your crippling rate, make sure they are finished by the time they hit the water. Large duck; a little smaller than a Mallard. As mentioned above, this duck is a cavity nester. Once paired, the male tends the female, driving away other males, until she departs for her preselected nest site with him in tow (and often with unsuccessful males following). They winter primarily in marine areas, in shallow protected bays, estuaries, and large lakes with a sandy, gravel, or rocky substrate. It is one of the most common wintering diving ducks throughout much of Puget Sound, and can be found in large concentrations in the sound and along the Columbia and Snake Rivers. 58:552-560. In fact, you should expect to be most successful when the water bodies just north of you are starting to freeze over. Goldeneyes leave for the breeding areas in late February. Eadie, J.M., M.L. Bright yellow eyes. 1995). Common Goldeneye to be a species of "Least Concern". Kalamazoo, MI: Kalamazoo Nature Center. The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario, 2001–2005. Like that of so many boreal nesting species, however, its future may depend less on how northern forests are managed than on how the impacts of a warming climate are addressed. 1995). The limited amount of parental care in ducks minimizes the energetic cost of raising others' young. A study north of Sudbury, Ontario, demonstrated that female goldeneyes nesting in fishless, acidic lakes invested more energy in their clutches (greater egg mass) than goldeneyes nesting in lakes with high fish productivity. If you find the information on BirdWeb useful, please consider supporting Seattle Audubon. Hertzel, Anthony X., and Robert B. Janssen. North American Waterfowl Management Plan 2004. Eriksson. In late winter, pairs begin to form with males performing a curious courtship ritual. www.xeno-canto.org/340626. Patuxent Accessible at Goldeneyes are aggressive and territorial, and the male performs spectacular and complex courtship displays. The male Common Goldeneye has a dark iridescent-green head that looks black when not in the sun. sites. Extensive field studies in Minnesota, however, demonstrated a much wider range of habitats, including small ponds (16 ha) with extensive stands of bulrush and pondweeds as well as large lakes (100 to 1,250 ha), some with extensive stands of emergent wetland vegetation and some with absolutely none (Zicus et al.