Duck ID

Discussion

6 replies

Posted by richard remington on March 1, 2011 at 12:50 PM

Can someone help me with the duck in this picture? I think it is a Barrows Goldeneye but I am not sure. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Posted by Doug Backlund on March 1, 2011 at 1:37 PM

It's a Common Goldeneye.

Posted by Luke Ormand on March 1, 2011 at 2:15 PM

Agreed. You can tell it apart from the very similar Barrow's Golden Eye by the shape of the white face patch.

Posted by SandyRichardsBrown on March 1, 2011 at 4:56 PM

http://www.naturephotographers.net/imagecritique/ic.cgi?a=vp&pr=166826&CGISESSID=555927454d6e86fea5257fa7c7ca766a&u=7271

Sandy

Posted by richard remington on March 1, 2011 at 6:45 PM

Sandy, Not sure about your response? Please help me as I am a frustrated novice who wants to understand. If I look at the attached it shows a clear difference between these birds which I assume are both males. Why is one so different than the other? What shape is the facial patch on a barrows? What is the one clear way to tell them apart if they are both males? Forget females as I would never be able to do it. Thanks for your patience and help.

Rick

Posted by Doug Backlund on March 1, 2011 at 6:58 PM

Don't be frustrated. You are learning, that's half the fun of birding. What you have is a young male Common Goldeneye that is molting into it's adult plumage. They develop a more mottled plumage for awhile. Most field guides don't have enough space to show all these stages of development and molt.

Barrow's Goldeneyes have very distinct differences in head and bill shape from Common Goldeneyes, in addition to the different shape of the white facial patch. Females aren't that hard either, same head and bill shape applies, plus the bill on a female Barrow's is mostly yellow, while the Common female has at most a yellow tip.

Posted by richard remington on March 1, 2011 at 9:34 PM

Doug,

Thanks for the explanation. It makes total sense.

Rick