Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)

• HABITAT - Common Goldeneyes are found in the lakes and rivers of boreal forests across Canada and the northern United States, Scandinavia, the Baltic States, and northern Russia. They are migratory and most winter in protected coastal waters or open inland waters like the Great Lakes.
• DIET - Common Goldeneyes eat mainly aquatic invertebrates, fish, and fish eggs, with aquatic vegetation making up the remainder of the diet. They feed mainly along shorelines in relatively shallow water.
• FACTS - The female Goldeneye selects a cavity in a tree for her nest. The chicks leave the nest just one day after they hatch. The first step can be massive. The female calls from the tree base and the downy chicks take a leap of faith as they drop to the ground.