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.
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) [XC590643]
by Simon Elliott from Highland, Scotland, United Kingdom (call, flight call)
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) [XC795250]
by Hannu Varkki from B\u00e5dah\u00e4llan, Ume\u00e5 Municipality, V\u00e4sterbotten County, Sweden (song)
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