Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)


Group	Swans, Geese, and Ducks
Code	ABNJB18010
Order	Anseriformes
Family	Anatidae
Author	(Linnaeus, 1758)
Rank	G5 (definitions)
Occurrence	SM (definitions)
Scale	C (definitions)

County List:


Western UP	Gogebic, Delta, Marquette, Iron, Ontonagon, Dickinson
Eastern UP	all
Northern LP	Roscommon, Presque Isle, Alcona
Southern LP	none

Rule:

Forested or Mixed Forested/Nonforested Landscapes

Nesting and Foraging/Brood Rearing Habitats are Adjacent during the early breeding season.

Nesting Habitat:
      (Mixed Lowland Conifer (Lg Saw or Uneven))
   containing: (Snags or Living Cavity Trees or Man-made Structures - nest boxes)
   adjacent to:
      (Lake or Pond or River)

Foraging/Brood Rearing Habitat:
      (Lake or Pond or River)
   adjacent to:
      Marsh 1

view decision rule term definitions

Habitat List:

Habitats	Regen	Sap	Pole	Sm Saw	Lg Saw	Uneven
Aspen	no	no	no	no	no	-
Paper Birch	no	no	no	no	no	-
Oak	no	no	no	no	no	no
Assorted Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Northern Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Spruce/Fir	no	no	no	no	no	no
Hemlock	no	no	no	no	no	no
Jack Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
Red Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
White Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
Conifer Plantations	no	no	no	no	no	-
Mixed Upland Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Northern Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Upland Conifer	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
Swamp Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Balsam Poplar & Swamp Aspen & Swamp Birch	no	no	no	no	no	no
Bottomland Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Tamarack	no	no	no	no	no	no
Northern White Cedar	no	no	no	no	no	no
Black Spruce	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Lowland Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Lowland Conifer	no	no	no	no	YES	YES
Non-Forested	Lake, Pond, River, Marsh 1
Special Features	Man-made Structures, Snags, Living Cavity Trees, Riparian

view size class definitions

Literature:

Prince, H. H. 1991. Common Goldeneye. Pages 146-147 In: R. Brewer, G. A. McPeek, and R. J. Adams, Jr. (eds.) The atlas of breeding birds of Michigan. Michigan State University Press, East Lansing. 594 pp.

Habitat: Breeding Common Goldeneyes occupy inland lakes and streams near boreal forest areas, where they nest in tree cavities. Although they do not appear to prefer specific tree species, goldeneyes prefer a cavity with an opening at the top of a tree located near a water area. Goldeneyes will readily accept nest boxes, often using those supplied for Wood Ducks. Broods are found on water with abundant supplies of submersed vegetation.

DeGraaf, R. M. and D. D. Rudis. 1986. New England wildlife: habitat, natural history, and distribution. GTR NE-108. Broomall, PA:USDA, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 491 pp.

Habitat: Breeding: Ponds, lakes, shallow rivers, floodplain forests and bogs, slowly flowing streams with weedy margins, usually near or in open wooded areas with large cavity-bearing trees.

Special Habitat Requirements: Large trees, minimum dbh 20 inches with cavities for nesting and clear, cold, shallow water for feeding.

Kaufman, K. 1996. Lives of North American Birds. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 675 pp.

Habitat: Forested lakes, rivers; in winter, also salt bays, seacoasts. In breeding season requires large trees for nesting cavities close to clear, cold water, as around northern lakes, bogs, rivers. In winter mostly on shallow protected bays and estuaries, also on rivers and lakes.

Diet: Varies with season and habitat. Eats crustaceans including crayfish, crabs, shrimps, amphipods, and others; also mollusks (including blue mussels), small fishers, marine worms, frogs, leeches. Aquatic insects are main food in summer (when lakes with no fish may be preferred). Also eats some plant material, such as pond weeds especially in fall.

Nest: Sites are in large tree cavities, 5-60 feet above ground, sometimes in abandoned buildings; will use nest boxes. Nest is depression in wood chips at bottom of cavity, lined with down. Where nest sites are scarce, females may lay eggs in each others nests.