Goldeneye
The Goldeneye is a medium-sized diving duck, named for its golden-yellow eye. Adult males have a dark head with a greenish gloss and a circular white patch below the eye, a dark back and a white neck and belly. Adult females have a brown head and a mostly grey body.
The Goldeneye breeds on the lakes and in the rivers of boreal forests in Scandinavia, Canada, north USA and north Russia. Naturally it will nest in cavities in large trees but it will also readily use nestboxes put up on trees close to water. This has enabled a healthy breeding population to establish in the Scottish Highlands from 1970 where it is increasing and slowly spreading. The Goldeneye is migratory and most winter in protected coastal waters or open inland waters at more temperate latitudes.
The Goldeneye forages by diving underwater for crustaceans, aquatic insects and molluscs. Insects are the predominant prey while nesting and crustaceans are the predominant prey during migration and winter.
This bird was part of the captive collection at WWT Slimbridge.
Date: 2nd January 2017
Location: WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire
The Goldeneye breeds on the lakes and in the rivers of boreal forests in Scandinavia, Canada, north USA and north Russia. Naturally it will nest in cavities in large trees but it will also readily use nestboxes put up on trees close to water. This has enabled a healthy breeding population to establish in the Scottish Highlands from 1970 where it is increasing and slowly spreading. The Goldeneye is migratory and most winter in protected coastal waters or open inland waters at more temperate latitudes.
The Goldeneye forages by diving underwater for crustaceans, aquatic insects and molluscs. Insects are the predominant prey while nesting and crustaceans are the predominant prey during migration and winter.
This bird was part of the captive collection at WWT Slimbridge.
Date: 2nd January 2017
Location: WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire
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Also in: Diving ducks
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