An elegant northern duck, the Barrow's goldeneye is named after English statesman and writer Sir John Barrow, whose dedication to promoting discovery missions to the Arctic and sharing findings of those missions has helped more birders become aware of this beautiful bird.

Common Name: Barrow's Goldeneye, House-Duck

Scientific Name: Bucephala islandica

Scientific Family: Anatidae

Appearance:

• Bill: Triangular spatulate shape, relatively short, black on males but half black and half orange on females

• Size: 16-20 inches long with 30-inch wingspan, puffy head, steep forehead
• Colors: Black, white, orange, yellow, iridescent, brown, gray, gray-brown
• Markings: Dimorphic species. Males have a black head that shows purple iridescence in good light, and the bright yellow eye stands out boldly. A crescent, teardrop or comma-shaped white patch is prominent at the base of the bill. The black back has a white grid of spots at the shoulder and larger white patches on the wings, and a black spur extends to divide the breast and flanks. The underparts are plain white. In flight, the wings show dark primary feathers and a white patch on the secondary feathers close to the body. Females have a brown head and gray body that is lighter on the breast and darker toward the rear. A white collar is not often visible on swimming birds but is more prominent in flight. The lower abdomen is white, and the flanks show faint gray-brown mottling. A white wing patch may show near the tail when the birds are perched. On both genders, the eyes are yellow and the legs and feet are orange or yellow-orange.
  
  Juveniles are similar to adult females but with less distinct markings, and young males gradually develop adult male markings during their first year.
  
  Species is monotypic.

Foods: Aquatic insects, fish, aquatic plants (See: Omnivorous)

Habitat and Migration:

These ducks prefer relatively open waters suitable for diving, often in wooded areas that provide shelter and good nesting sites. During the breeding season, they are more often found in freshwater habitats, while in winter they favor rocky saltwater coasts.

Small year-round populations of Barrow's goldeneyes can be found in the central regions of Washington and Oregon, as well as isolated areas of western Montana and northwestern Wyoming. The summer breeding range extends from Alaska south through the Yukon Territory and British Columbia with a separate population in northern Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador. These ducks are also found in Iceland.

In winter, these ducks shift to the Pacific coast from Alaska as far south as central California, with more extensive populations in the interior western mountain ranges where open water exists. In the east, they can be found occasionally as far south as coastal Connecticut, and they are found along Iceland's coasts in winter as well.

Regular vagrant sightings have been recorded far outside the expected range in North America, as well as rare sightings in western Europe. All of these accidental sightings are more common in winter.

Vocalizations:

These are relatively quiet ducks that are generally silent outside the breeding season, though their wings make a low whistling sound. During courtship, males make rapid "ka-ka-ka-ka-ka" squeaking calls with many syllables, and several other grunts and croaks may also be used.

Behavior:

These are diving ducks that completely submerge to forage along the bottom of waterways, and they are powerful swimmers that often dive as flocks. To take off from the surface of the water, they use a short run to build up speed, and will fly low over the surface before gaining altitude. In winter, the Barrow's goldeneye often joins mixed flocks with other ducks, including the very similar common goldeneye.

Reproduction:

These are monogamous birds. Courtship displays include mutual head bobbing and stretching the head in an arc to the back. After mating, the female will make her nest in a ground burrow, tree cavity, rock crevice or even building, lining a slight depression with down plucked from her own breast. Nests may be found at ground level or as high as 40-50 feet above the ground. There are 5-20 eggs laid per brood, with only one brood laid each year.

The female parent incubates the eggs for 28-34 days. After hatching, the precocial chicks are able to leave the nest and find their own food within 1-2 days, though they remain under the female parent's guidance until their first flight 55-60 days after hatching.

These ducks regularly hybridize with common goldeneyes, and more rarely with hooded mergansers.

Attracting Barrow's Goldeneyes:

These are not typical backyard birds, but preserving local habitat to ensure open water and appropriate shelter within the duck's range can help attract them to a region for birders to enjoy.

Conservation:

While these ducks can be uncommon in parts of their range, they are not considered threatened or endangered. The greatest threats they face include pollution throughout their range, as well as fishing line in interior winter habitats.

Similar Birds:

• Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
• Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
• Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus)

Photo – Barrow's Goldeneye – Male © Drew Avery
Photo – Barrow's Goldeneye – Female © Ómar Runólfsson