Home
Bird Guide
Bird Cams
Bird Academy
Bird ID Skills
Feeding Birds
Bird Friendly Homes
Problems
FAQs
Biology
News & Features
Videos
Get Involved

Living Bird Magazine
Membership Services
Support the Lab

All About Birds

Search

Browse all birds

Merlin Bird Graphic

Merlin Bird ID

Try our free app foriOS | AndroidWeb version coming soon!

Recently Viewed Species

Common Goldeneye Sounds

Overview
ID info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

Display calls
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
Alberta, April 22, 1982Recorded by William W. H. Gunn | Macaulay Library
Female calls
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
Alaska, July 10, 2007Recorded by Gerrit Vyn | Macaulay Library
Wing whistle
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
Alberta, May 10, 1982Recorded by William W. H. Gunn | Macaulay Library

Sounds provided by Macaulay Library.
Listen to more sounds of this species from the ML archive.

Calls

Despite their scientific species name (clangula, or “screaming”) Common Goldeneyes are usually silent. Males give a single, short, faint peent as part of several courtship displays and a grunting sound following copulation. Females give a harsh, croaking gack when disturbed. When circling a lake or prospecting for nest sites, females sometimes make a series of short cuk calls.

Other Sounds

In flight, Common Goldeneye wings create a distinctive whistling sound.

Compare with Similar Species

Click on an image to compare

Barrow's Goldeneye Adult male is similar to Common Goldeneye

Barrow's Goldeneye

Barrow's Goldeneye Female is similar to Common Goldeneye

Barrow's Goldeneye

Bufflehead Breeding male is similar to Common Goldeneye

Bufflehead Female is similar to Common Goldeneye

Species in This Family

Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl(Order: Anseriformes, Family:Anatidae)

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck

Fulvous Whistling-Duck

Fulvous Whistling-Duck

Greater White-fronted Goose

Greater White-fronted Goose

Blue-winged Teal

Blue-winged Teal

Northern Shoveler

Northern Shoveler

Eurasian Wigeon

Eurasian Wigeon

American Wigeon

American Wigeon

American Black Duck

American Black Duck

Northern Pintail

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Green-winged Teal

Ring-necked Duck

Ring-necked Duck

Steller's Eider

Steller's Eider

White-winged Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Long-tailed Duck

Common Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye

Barrow's Goldeneye

Barrow's Goldeneye

Hooded Merganser

Hooded Merganser

Common Merganser

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Browse Species in This Family

More to Read

Feeding Birds: a Quick Guide to Seed Types
Bird Academy
Bird Song Hero
Living Bird Magazine
Analysis: The Economic Value of Birds

Project FeederWatch
Common Feeder Birds: Quick Info on Food Preferences
6 Steps to Choosing a Pair of Binoculars You'll Love
Bird ID Skills: How to Learn Bird Songs and Calls

Common Goldeneye

Overview
ID Info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

Overview
What We Do
Visit the Lab
Job Opportunities
News Releases

Citizen Science

eBird
Project Feederwatch
NestWatch
Celebrate Urban Birds
Great Backyard Bird Count
Habitat Network

Lifelong Learning

Online Courses
Workshops
Bird Walks & Events
Spring Field Ornithology
BirdSleuth

Birds of North America
Clements Checklist
Neotropical Birds
State of the Birds
Annual Report
Scientific Citations
Living Bird Magazine

Bird Guide
Bird Cams
Macaulay Library
"Raven" Sound Analysis
Our Youtube Videos
FAQs

Support Our Cause

Join the Lab
Donate
Monthly Giving
Membership Services
Shop for Our Cause

Contact the Lab
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Site Credits

Copyright © 2017 Cornell University

Your gift will be matched! Donate Now

Do not show this again