male	male female European distribution males and female

Identification

At rest the male Goldeneye looks mostly white with a dark head, mantle and rear. The big white blob behind the bill is conspicuous and distinctive. Females are harder to identify appearing dark grey-brown with darker heads and usually showing various amounts of white in the closed wing. Even if this isn't visible they can be identified by their bulbous head shape, bulging at the nape. In flight, Goldeneye are fast, direct fliers with mostly white inner wings. They make a characteristic whistling noise as they fly by.

Habitat

Breeds in wooded areas near lakes and pools. Winters on estuaries, coasts, lakes and reservoirs.

Behaviour

The male Goldeneye in spring indulges in wonderful head-throwing displays, enticing the females to mate even in wintering areas hundreds of miles from where they will nest.

Migration

European birds winter on lakes and coastal waters from Iceland south to the northern Mediterranean.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Goldeneye is classed as Common: common species, including species that are certain or probable escapees from captivity when occurring in the British Isles. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Martin Mere, Lancs 24/06/2010	Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, Canada 18/05/2010	undisc. site, Highland 10/06/2010	Aviemore, Highland 17/06/2010	Aviemore, Highland 17/06/2010
Aviemore, Highland 17/06/2010	Covehithe Broad, Suffolk 10/04/2010	undisc. site, Durham 21/03/2010	Mistley, Essex 07/03/2010	Mistley, Essex 07/03/2010

 View all pictures of Goldeneye

Goldeneye breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Austria
Belarus
Britain
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Hungary
Latvia
Lithuania
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Romania
Russia
Sweden
Ukraine

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