Bird of the Week – Goldeneye
This is a bonus week, because it is hard to talk about one of Alaska’s Goldeneye species without comparing it to the other. And Alaska boasts two species of Goldeneyes.
Common Goldeneye occurs across much of North America. We see them in breeding plumage here. The male has a roundish white patch between the eye and the bill.
Common Goldeneye Drakes, Black Rapids Canyon
By comparison, the Barrow’s Goldeneye is less common, occurring most often in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, and has a crescent-shaped white patch between the eye and bill.
Barrow’s Goldeneye Drake, Tangle River, Denali Highway
You can see that the black and white patterns on their backs are different as well. Unlike Pintails and Shovelers, Goldeneyes are divers, foraging completely underwater. The females of the two species are drab, somewhat similar and a little difficult to tell apart. Oh, and they hybridize.
For more bird photos, please visit Frozen Feather Images.
Laugh of the day-SOH Boner is suing Obama for acting unilaterally and Texas wingnut AG Gregg A-Butt is gonna sue Obama because he won’t act unilaterally. A-Butt claims Obama acknowledged blame for border crisis,but A-Butt wouldn’t blame Boner for not allowing immigration bill vote which would help alleviate problems in Texas. Word has it that some of the wingnut militias from Buindy ranch standoff are on the Texas border claiming they have shoot to kill orders for any child crossing the border into America.
Just occurred to moi that a Goldeneye/Merganser hybrid duck is just the sort of thing Q would have dreamed up as a secret weapon for a James Bond film of a similar name. Wonder why it never made the final cut?
http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2005-03-15/article/20956?headline=Hybrid-Ducks-Call-Definition-of-Species-Into-Question-By-JOE-EATON—Special-to-the-Planet
This kinda explains the cross-breeding process and why these new ducks may not have official names.
That was really interesting, mikey.
Thanks!!!
http://bangordailynews.com/2013/02/22/outdoors/hybrid-duck-turns-heads-in-southwest-harbor/
This is a cross between a goldeneye and a hoodie.
https://www.flickr.com/groups/hybridbirds/discuss/72157601816737370/
Here is a picture of a cross between two golden species.
So i got myself stuck in ignorance-is-not-bliss-but-i’m-lost-and-cannot-find-my-way-back on this “Oh, and they hybridize.” dealie.
So the 2 goldeneye ducks will breed with each other, The Barrow’s Goldeneye will also, though rarely, breed with a hooded merganser according to one reference I found but these birds are monotypic.
http://birding.about.com/od/Waterfowl/fl/Barrows-Goldeneye.htm
So WHAT are the hybrid ducks?
As always, thank you for the lovely photos.