Common Goldeneye Identification

Medium-sized duck with a triangular head and a sloping bill. Adult males are mostly white with white windows along the folded wing. Head is iridescent green (often looks black), with a round white spot behind the bill.

Medium-sized grayish-brown duck with a triangular head and a sloping bill. Females have a warm brown head that contrasts with its gray body. Bill is mostly blackish, with yellow at the tip only.

Found on inland lakes and rivers as well as coastal waters. Feeds mainly along shorelines in relatively shallow water where it dives under water for aquatic invertebrates, fish, and fish eggs.

In flight, shows extensive white on inner half of blackish wing. The female's brown head contrasts with its gray body.

Medium-sized duck with a forehead the slopes downward to meet the bill. Immatures show less white in the wings than adult males. White face patch is round.

Medium-sized, mostly brown duck; immatures lacks golden eye of adults.

When around females, males frequently display by stretching the head backward against the back and then popping forward.

Females occasionally show mostly yellowish bill (usually mostly blackish with yellow tip). Forehead slopes gradually to meet the bill. Warm brown head contrasts with grayish body.

Fairly high, peaked head with a forehead that slopes gradually to meet the mostly blackish bill. Adults' golden eyes can be visible from fairly long distance.

Females have white collar around the neck that can be obscured depending on the bird's posture. Ducklings have dark heads with fluffy cream-white throats.

In flight, note adult male's large white wing patches on black wings and mostly dark head contrasting with white neck and underparts.

Fairly common on inland lakes and rivers as well as coastal waters. Forms flocks.