Barrow's Goldeneye

Barrow's Goldeneye

A drake in flight
Full size

Scientific Classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Anseriformes
Family:	Anatidae
Genus:	Bucephala
Species:	islandica

Binomial name

Bucephala islandica

Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) is a medium-sized sea duck of the genus Bucephala, the goldeneyes.

Adults are similar in appearance to the Common Goldeneye. Adult males have a dark head with a purplish gloss and a white crescent at the front of the face. Adult females have a yellow bill.

Their breeding habitat is wooded lakes and ponds primarily in northwestern North America but also in scattered locations in eastern Canada and Iceland. They nest in cavities in trees, also in burrows or protected sites on the ground.

They are migratory and most winter in protected coastal waters or open inland waters. It is an extremely rare vagrant to western Europe.

These diving birds forage underwater. They eat aquatic insects, crustaceans and pond vegetation.

This goldeneye tends not to share habitat with the much more numerous Common Goldeneye.

This bird was named after Sir John Barrow.

Photo Album: Barrow's Goldeneye

Thumbnail	Description & Credit
	Acrylic painting of a Barrow's Goldeneye by Robert Steiner, 315 Cornwall Street, San Francisco, CA 94118. As one of the top wildlife artist's in the country, Bob Steiner, finally won the 1997 Federal Duck Stamp Contest at the age of 48 after 17 previous attempts. Chosen over 379 other entries, Steiner's Barrow's Goldeneye depicts the majesty of the species. The same design, with some enhancements, came in third in the 1995 Federal Duck Stamp Contest (the winner that year was the Surf Scoter design by Wilhelm Goebel). Mr. Steiner has designed a total of 47 duck stamp (state and other commissioned venues), more than any other artist. With a Bachelor's degree in painting and etching at the renowned Rhode Island School of Design, he also achieved a Master's degree in etching and fine art printmaking from San Francisco State University. Return to the Federal Duck Stamp Office Home Page Visit the U.S. Fish and.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Modern Translations: Barrow's Goldeneye

Language		Translations for "Barrow's goldeneye"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses.
Greek		ισλανδική κουδουνόπαπια. (various references)

Pig Latin		arrow'sbay oldeneyegay
Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references.