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Common goldeneye        Images © Mark A. Chappell

Male common goldeneyes (sometimes called American goldeneyes) are comical little ducks, especially when displaying for the less colorful females (as the male at upper left is doing).   Both sexes dive energetically for shellfish.   They breed in northern North America and winter on ponds, lakes, rivers, and coastal ocean areas.   These birds were photographed in Palo Alto and adjacent Mountain View, or in Moss Landing, all in California; many of the images were taken in dawn light, with electronic flash.   A close relative, the Barrow's goldeneye, is slightly darker, with a teardrop-shaped white face mark and a more angular head on males, a yellow beak on females.

More common goldeneye pictures here.

  • Canon 10D, 1D Mk. II, 1D4, or 7D2; 500 mm IS lens plus 2X converter or 800 mm IS lens plus 1.4X converter, fill-in flash (2003, 2012, 2018)