The Common Goldeneye is a compact diving duck with a puffy, round green-glossed head and a circular white face spot in males. Its wings produce a distinctive whistling or musical ringing sound in flight that gives goldeneyes the colloquial name 'whistlers.' It nests in tree cavities in boreal forests and is a fierce competitor for Barrow's Goldeneye nest sites.
Best time to see a Common Goldeneye
The best time to see a Common Goldeneye is January–March, when about 64% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 33,490 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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Recent Common Goldeneye sightings near you
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