Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) Max A. Henschell
Wayne Co., MI. 1/26/2008. © Darlene Friedman
(Click to view a comparison of Atlas I to II)
The loud whistling of a Common Goldeneye’s nesters, Common Goldeneyes require mature forests that provide appropriate nesting sites wings overhead immediately sets this duck apart with open water nearby (McPeek and Adams from all others in Michigan. This strikingly 1994). Breeding habitat selection is primarily black-and-white plumaged bird is often seen in driven by the availability of invertebrate prey, the harbors and bays of the Great Lakes during such as aquatic insects, mollusks and the winter, but for the breeding season moves crustaceans (Eadie et al. 1995). north into the boreal forests to nest in cavities near small, clear lakes and rivers. Holarctic in Michigan hosts very few breeding Common range, the Common Goldeneye breeds Goldeneyes. The UP, with the most appropriate throughout the boreal forests of the world. habitat for nesting, recorded this species in
approximately 8% of townships during MBBA Common Goldeneyes can be found throughout II. Common Goldeneyes breed annually in much of North America, from the Gulf Coast several locations in the UP; the Dollarville north to the treeline in Canada and Alaska and flooding in Luce County, and Isle Royale, from the Atlantic Coast west to the Pacific which supports the highest density of breeding Coast. Only in the northern half of this range, goldeneye in the state. Only nine townships in from just south of the Canadian border north the NLP, just under 2%, recorded Common throughout the boreal forest region, do Common Goldeneye during MBBA II, all of which were Goldeneyes breed. They migrate south during located in the Lake Michigan Watershed. One the winter months out of most of their breeding township in Muskegon County in the SLP had a range and into the lower 48 states, preferring possible breeding record. Records of Common large water bodies and rivers. Goldeneye decreased from MBBA I to MBBA
II from 10% to 8% of townships in the UP. Both Distribution the NLP and SLP saw increases in breeding The Common Goldeneye is a common records; the SLP had no records during MBBA wintering duck in Michigan and can be found I. wherever open water might linger (McPeek and
Adams 1994). In the summer, they retreat to the northern limits of the state for breeding. Cavity
© 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) Max A. Henschell
Regionally, Common Goldeneyes are a rare The female is sole incubator of a clutch of 5-16 breeder in Wisconsin; four of the seven eggs. She incubates for 28-32 days, at which townships with records were located in the time the precocial young hatch. The young extreme northern part of the Lake Michigan remain in the nest for up to two days. After this drainage (Verch 2006). Common Goldeneyes time, the female calls from the ground below the breed throughout most of Ontario, concentrated nest hole. All of the young quickly jump from from the upper Lake Huron drainage north the nest, after which the female leads them to throughout the rest of the province (Mallory the brooding territory, a water body that may be 2007). several kilometers from the nest (Eadie et al. 1995). The brood is attended by the female. Breeding Biology Several Common Goldeneye broods may join to Mate selection begins as early as December form a crèche if the young are abandoned or the when Common Goldeneyes begin their very female dies. complex courtship behavior. The male behavior consists of 14 different displays, while females Young Common Goldeneye may be abandoned often respond to the males with four different before they can fly, five to six weeks after behaviors (Eadie et al. 1995). This is used for leaving the nest. The young are typically both pair formation and pair bond maintenance, capable of flight within two weeks of and is frequently observed in the state, abandonment (Eadie et al. 1995). especially in the spring along newly opened rivers. Copulation of Common Goldeneye is Abundance and Population Trends also highly ritualized, often including drinking Bellrose (1980) estimates the North American and bathing before and after copulation (Eadie population of Common Goldeneye near 1.25 et al. 1995). million birds. The 2009 USFWS estimate of goldeneyes (including an unknown but likely Common Goldeneye nest construction can begin small number of Barrow’s Goldeneyes) for the as early as late March; some birds may not build eastern survey area, which includes Ontario, nests until late May. Nests are located in tree Quebec, and Labrador was 396,000, which was cavities excavated by Pileated Woodpeckers, a decline of 6% from 2008 and 3% below the from broken tree branches or the hollow tops of long-term average (USFWS 2009). While standing trees. Common Goldeneyes will also breeding numbers of Common Goldeneye are use nest boxes and will infrequently nest on difficult to obtain due to their frequent use of cliffs (Eadie et al. 1995). Nests are typically remote habitats, some have estimated that as located near open water; the Gogebic and many as 4,000 pairs could be breeding in Menominee County confirmations were near northern parts of Michigan (Bellrose 1980). If small rural sewage lagoons at a prison and state this estimate is accurate, then most breeding park, respectively (S. Haas pers. comm.). Often locations within the state have gone undetected the nest bowl is formed using materials present during either atlas. The number of wintering in the hole and lined with down. Females tend to Common Goldeneyes at SLP locations such as reuse nest locations in the following years Allegan County can reach nearly 3,500 birds (Eadie et al. 1995). Brood parasitism with Wood and as many as 120 birds have been recorded in Duck and Hooded Merganser, as well as in Marquette during the winter (Wuepper 2008). other Common Goldeneye nests, has been North American population levels of Common noted, particularly in systems where nest boxes Goldeneye appear to be stable at this time are available (Eadie et al. 1995). (Eadie 1995).
© 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) Max A. Henschell
Conservation Needs Verch, D. 2006. Common Goldeneye While the population of Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula). In Cutright, N.J., appears stable, there are threats to its numbers. B.R. Harriman, and R.W. Howe. 2006. Atlas Acid rain, PCBs and organochlorines from of the Breeding Birds of Wisconsin. pesticide runoff are common in its wintering Wisconsin Society for Ornithology. range, particularly in Michigan and New York Waukesha, WI. (Eadie et al. 1995). It appears that these Wuepper, J. 2008. Michigan Bird Survey, pollutants may not be directly harmful to Winter 2007-2008. Michigan Birds and Common Goldeneyes, but instead reduce Natural History 15(3): 100-123 amounts of suitable prey for the species. Habitat loss from deforestation in boreal forests and loss Suggested Citation of available prey are the biggest threats to this species throughout its North American breeding Henschell, M.A. 2011. Common Goldeneye range. Closely monitoring Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula). In Chartier, A.T., J.J. populations may shed light upon losses of Baldy, and J.M. Brenneman (eds.). 2010- boreal forest habitat upon which this duck 2011. The Second Michigan Breeding Bird depends (Eadie et al. 1995). Atlas. Kalamazoo Nature Center. Kalamazoo, MI. Accessed online at: Literature Cited
© 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center