Overview
The Barrow’s Goldeneye is a medium-sized diving duck occurring primarily in northwestern North America. Isolated breeding populations occur in southwest Montana, northwest Wyoming, and northeast Idaho. An eastern population breeds along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River estuary, and a small resident population occurs in Iceland. Barrow’s Goldeneyes are cavity nesters using freshwater mountain lakes and wetlands with an abundance of aquatic insects. Eastern birds use small, fishless lakes above 1,640 feet in elevation.
In migration and winter, they use shallow coastal bays and inlets, where they feed heavily on crustaceans and mollusks.
Description
Key Identification Features
- In flight, wings of both sexes show significant white areas on the secondary coverts and feathers and emit a notable whistling sound.
- Males have a dark iridescent purple head in good light, with a notable white crescent between the base of the black bill and gold eye.
- Females appear grayish, with a brown head but lack the white crescent between the bill and eye.
Male/Female Average Length and Weight
- Mass: Males 1.4–3.1 lbs.; Females 1.2–2.6 lbs.
Male and Female Identification
- Alternate (Breeding) Plumage: Males have a black head showing iridescent glossy purple to ultramarine in good light, with a crescent white spot between the base of the bill and gold eye. The neck, breast, sides, and belly are white. The bill is black. Females may show variable amount of yellow on the tip of the bill.
- Basic Plumage: Both sexes appear similar, with the head and upper neck brown, breast, back and flanks gray to gray brown, and a white belly. The head is chestnut brown, and in immature (first year) males there is a variable white spot at the base of the black bill that increases as molt progresses through fall and winter.
In-flight Identification
- In flight, wings of both sexes show significant white areas on the secondary coverts and feathers and emit a notable whistling sound.
Vocalizations
- Male Calls: Males make a short, faint “ka-KAA” in courtship.
- Female Calls: Females give a “cuc” call to communicate to broods.
Similar Species
- Common Goldeneye: Shape of the white facial marking is crescent in Barrow’s Goldeneyes, and round or oval shaped in Common Goldeneyes. Male Barrow’s Goldeneyes also have less white on the secondary feathers, and the head is more rounded, and forehead and bill less sloped than Common Goldeneyes. Females of these two species are easily confused, but the Common Goldeneye has a longer, sloped forehead, and more white secondaries (total of 5 to 8 are pure white) versus Barrow’s Goldeneye (only 0 to 4 pure white secondaries).
Habitat Preferences
- Breeding: Breeding Barrow’s Goldeneyes are typically found on freshwater mountain lakes and wetlands in western North America. They prefer clear water with abundant aquatic insects and no fish for breeding and brood rearing.
- Migration and Wintering: Barrow’s Goldeneyes occur in coastal areas from Kodiak Island to Washington, occasionally south to northern California. The eastern population breeds in freshwater wetlands just north the St. Lawrence Estuary in Quebec. They winter in the St. Lawrence Estuary and Bay. Wintering Barrow’s Goldeneyes are rare inland.
Foraging Habits and Diet
- Barrow’s Goldeneyes are diving ducks and forage extensively on invertebrates throughout the annual cycle.
- Breeding Season: They primarily feed on aquatic insects, amphipods, and snails.
- Migration and Winter: Mollusks are a preferred food, but they also consume crustaceans and some fish and fish eggs.
Breeding Habits
- Monogamy: They are monogamous and may reunite with the same mate over multiple years. Males have a fascinating courtship display shown from December through April. Pairing begins in wintering areas in December and birds arrive in breeding areas paired. Long-term pair bonds are believed to be re-established in fall. The age at first breeding is two years.
- Nest Locations: Nest near clear water wetlands with abundant aquatic insects and no fish to compete with broods for food. Barrow’s Goldeneyes are obligatory cavity nesters but also readily use nest boxes.
- Clutch Size: 6 to 12 eggs, but dump nests may have more eggs. The eggs are elliptical to oval, bluish green to olive green, averaging 2.4 by 1.7 in. The incubation period is 29 to 31 days.
Migration & Distribution
- Fall Migration: Barrow’s Goldeneyes are late fall migrants, departing breeding areas with onset of ice cover in mid- to late October. They arrive in migration and winter areas in
- November and December. In migration and winter, they occur in coastal areas from Kodiak Island to Washington, occasionally south to northern California. They winter in the St. Lawrence Estuary and Bay. Wintering Barrow’s Goldeneyes are rare inland.
- Spring Migration: Early spring migrants, starting in February, the number of migrating Barrow’s Goldeneyes peaks in March or early April with April or early May arrival on breeding areas.
Conservation Status
- IUCN Status: Least Concern
- Population Status: The North American western population is 200,000–250,000 birds, while the eastern population around 4,000 birds. Populations are assumed to be stable, but estimates are poor because of difficulty surveying this species.
- Conservation Concerns: The primary threats include pollution, climate change and timber extraction and other habitat loss.
- Conservation Focus: Efforts focus on protecting winter habitat along the coasts. There has been some placement of nest boxes in areas where cavity trees for potential nesting have been removed.
Harvest Information
- Please note that harvest information for Barrow’s Goldeneyes and Common Goldeneyes has been combined in this data.
- An average of 83,577 Goldeneyes were harvested annually across the US from 2019 to 2022.
- Goldeneye harvest is highest in the Pacific Flyway, accounting for 30 to 40 percent of the total US harvest.
- The top three harvest states during the 2019 to2022 hunting seasons were Idaho (47,250), Kansas (45,030), and Montana (28,301).
