18.5 inches long with a wingspan of 26 inches. The Common Goldeneye is a medium-sized diving duck with a small black bill. It has a yellow eye and the forehead is gently sloped. White patches are visible on the upper wing in flight. The adult male has a glossy green head with a distinctive white oval patch below the eye. The lower neck, breast, belly, and flanks are white. The back is dark. The wings have white shoulder feathers with black stripes. The female has a reddish brown head. The bill is dark with a yellow tip. It has a gray body that is paler on the breast and darker on the back. The white wing patch is split by two dark bands.
The Common Goldeneye is a common winter visitor to the Omaha area. It may be seen flying over the Forest or along the Missouri River. They arrive in November and leave by March.
The Common Goldeneye is cold-hardy duck that nests in the north and winters in cold climates. In flight its wings make a distinctive whistling sound, giving rise to its colloquial name, “whistler.” This species readily nests in boxes. The male’s courtship call is a grating “zee-zee”. The females makes a low “quack”.
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