Barrow's Goldeneye
Bucephala islandica
Habitat
Aquatic
Diet
Invertebrate
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
921 g
About This Species
This diving duck breeds on boreal lakes with nearby tree cavities across northwestern North America and Iceland, and winters along sheltered coastlines and estuaries further south, where it dives for mussels and other invertebrates. Look for the male's bold black-and-white plumage and distinctive white crescent on the face, and watch for its dawn and dusk feeding activity on calm coastal or lake waters. Winter, when birds gather in more accessible coastal flocks, is generally the easiest time to get a good look.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Viewing from shore or a boat at a distance of at least a few dozen metres, without approaching a raft of feeding or resting birds directly, avoids forcing them into repeated, energy-costly dives or flight.
- As a migratory waterfowl species it receives legal protection in the United States, Canada, and Iceland, though the specific provisions differ between these countries, so it is worth checking local regulations rather than assuming they are identical.
- Cavity nest sites on breeding lakes are particularly sensitive and are best left undisturbed during the nesting season.
LCAvesAnseriformesAnatidae
Seasonal Activity
403,293 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Family
- Anatidae
Traits
- Diet
- Invertebrate
- Foraging
- Aquatic
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 921 g
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.