Common Goldeneye Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesCommon Goldeneye
Adult male
Medium-sized duck with a triangular head and a sloping bill. Body is mostly white with white windows along the folded wing. Head is iridescent green (often looks black), with an round white spot behind the bill.
© Dorian Anderson / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 10, 2020Female
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.
© Dorian Anderson / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 07, 2019Adult male
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.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, March 09, 2015Not all videos have sound
Female
In flight, shows extensive white on inner half of blackish wing. The female's brown head contrasts with its gray body.
© Matt Davis / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 27, 2016Immature male
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.
© Carl Miller / Macaulay LibraryMaryland, February 20, 2017Immature
Medium-sized, mostly brown duck; immatures lacks golden eye of adults.
© Thomas Gibson / Macaulay LibraryUusimaa, July 21, 2016Adult male
When around females, males frequently display by stretching the head backward against the back and then popping forward.
© Howard Shapiro / Macaulay LibraryOntario, December 25, 2020Female
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.
© Patrick J. Blake / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, January 02, 2017Female
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.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryFinnmark, June 12, 2015Female and chick
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.
© Daniel Murphy / Macaulay LibraryUusimaa, May 30, 2017Habitat
Fairly common on inland lakes and rivers as well as coastal waters. Forms flocks.
© Amy Lyyski / Macaulay LibraryMichigan, January 20, 2018Similar SpeciesBarrow's Goldeneye
Adult male
Barrow's Goldeneyes have an oval or crescent shaped white spot behind the bill while the spot on male Common Goldeneyes is round. Barrow's also have a black spur on the side that Common Goldeneyes lack.
© Kathryn Keith / Macaulay LibraryWashington, January 21, 2017Similar SpeciesBarrow's Goldeneye
Female
Barrow's Goldeneyes have a flat head compared to the more peaked head of Common Goldeneyes. Female Barrow’s often have more yellow on the bill than female Common Goldeneyes.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 22, 2008Similar SpeciesBufflehead
Breeding male
Bufflehead are smaller than Common Goldeneyes. Males have a large white patch at the back of the head not behind the bill like Common Goldeneyes.
© Liron Gertsman / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, November 21, 2015Similar SpeciesBufflehead
Female
Bufflehead are smaller than Common Goldeneyes. Females are more uniform brown, with a white patch on the head that female goldeneyes lack.
© Bridget Spencer / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, December 24, 2015Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl(Order: Anseriformes, Family: Anatidae)
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