Afghanistan (NB), Albania (NB), Austria (B) (NB), Azerbaijan (NB), Belarus (B) (NB), Belgium (NB), Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria (NB), Canada (B) (NB) (P), China (mainland), Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska) (NB), Czech Republic (B) (NB), Denmark (B) (NB) (P), Estonia (B) (NB) (P), Faroe Islands (NB), Finland (B) (NB) (P), France (B) (NB) (P), Georgia, Germany (B) (NB) (P), Greece (NB), Hungary (B) (NB) (P), Iceland (NB), India, Iran [Islamic Republic of] (NB), Iraq (NB), Ireland (NB), Italy (NB), Japan, Kazakhstan (B), Kyrgyzstan (NB), Latvia (B) (NB) (P), Liechtenstein, Lithuania (B) (NB) (P), Luxembourg (NB), Macedonia [The Former Yugoslav Republic of] (NB), Mexico, Moldova [Republic of], Mongolia (B), Montenegro (NB) (P), Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles (B) (NB), North Korea, Norway (B) (NB) (P), Pakistan, Poland (B) (NB) (P), Romania (B) (NB) (P), Russia (Asian) (B), Russia (Central Asian) (B) (NB) (P), Russia (European) (B) (NB) (P), Serbia (NB) (P), Slovakia (Slovak Republic) (NB) (P), Slovenia (NB) (P), South Korea, Spain (NB), St Pierre and Miquelon (NB) (P), Sweden (B) (NB) (P), Switzerland (NB), Taiwan (China), Turkey (NB), Ukraine (B) (NB) (P), United Kingdom (B) (NB), USA (B), Uzbekistan.
Vagrant to Algeria, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Cyprus (NB), Gibraltar, Greenland, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan.
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is 2,500,000 - 4,600,000 (2010).
Status LC
Wetland degradation and loss in its breeding range, in its wintering range pollution, are the main threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Food
Molluscs, crustaceans, including mussels, cockles, periwinkles, shrimps, small fish and crabs. Also insect larvae and some plant material.
Voice
Usually silent. A loud 'zeee-zeee' and a quieter 'rrrrrrr' during display.
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) [XC628022]
by Grzegorz Lorek from Gmina Rydzyna (near K\u0142oda), leszczy\u0144ski, Wielkopolskie, Poland (call)
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) [XC173918]
by Albert Lastukhin from Note\u0107 Forest (near Chlebowo), Wielkopolskie Voivodeship, Poland (flight call, wing noise)
Nest
In a hole of a tree.
Eggs (Guide)
Usually 6 - 15; pale blue-green. Incubation: 26 - 30 days; by male.
Subspecies
Infrequent hybridization with Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) in the wild. Validity of subspecies has been questioned.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
clangula (Linnaeus, 1758) - Northern and central Europe, Asia east through USSR and northern Mongolia to Kamchatka.
The Reader's Digest Book of British Birds 1980, 3rd Edition, Drive Publications Ltd ISBN 0 340 25308 8
Birds in Colour Campbell, B., 1960, Penguin Books Ltd
The Pocket Guide to Nest and Eggs Fitter, R.S.R., 1954, Collins
RSPB Handbook of British Birds Holden, P., Cleeves, T., 2002, A & C Black ISBN 0 7136 5713 8
Birds of Britain and Europe Sterry, P., et al., 2001, AA Publishing ISBN 0 7495 3068 5
The Popular Handbook of British Birds Hollom, P.A.D., 1973, H.F. & G. Witherby Ltd ISBN 0 85493 002 7
BirdLife International Species Factsheet