Birds and wildlife

Goldeneye

Bucephala clangulaGroup: Ducks, geese and swansUK Conservation status:Red

How to identify

The Goldeneye is a medium sized diving duck. Males look black and white with a greenish black head and a circular white patch in front of the yellow eye. Females are smaller, and are mottled grey with a chocolate brown head. In flight, birds show a large area of white on the inner wing. They first nested in Scotland in 1970, and since then, birds have been attracted to nest in specially-designed boxes fixed to trees close to water. In winter, birds from Northern Europe visit the UK.

Call

Goldeneye

Patrik Åberg / xeno-canto

Key

  1. Resident
  2. Passage
  3. Summer
  4. Winter
* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
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  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Where best to see them

Key facts