Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula (Linnaeus, 1758)

		male female
2016-02-15 Irkitsk, Baikal reg. 2016-02-15 Irkitsk, Baikal reg.	© Vadim Ivushkin © Vadim Ivushkin

Distribution

Forest zone of Siberia. Expands through valley forests and "forest islands" to steppes and to southern tundras.

Biology

Common breeding migrant. Inhabits forested lakes and slow flowing rivers with fish, in steppes, forests, and mountains up to 1700-1750 m in Altai. Appears very early in the same time as Mallard - in April. Migrates by day and by night in flocks of tens or hundreds birds. Nests in separate pairs in tree holes (Poplar, Birch, Larch) 2-10 m above ground, and very rarely on ground between tree roots or in rock faces. Without difficulty accepts wooden nest boxes. Female clears old nest from tree hole. Nest cup lined only with down. Clutches of 7-12 eggs in mid-May – mid-June. Female incubates 30 days and rears juveniles which hatches mid-June – mid-July. Males and unattached birds gather for moult on big lakes end May – early July. Autumn migration lasts from early September to end October – mid-November. Winters in significant numbers (thousands and sometimes tens of thousands) on ice-free waters of south of Siberia, for example, in the source of Angara River and close to biggest hydroelectric plants.

References

В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Сибири". Москва-Екатеринбург, Изд-во "Кабинетный ученый", 2014.