drake; white face crescent; yellow eye (Northern Ireland zoo; 2008-09-14)


Barrow's Goldeneye
Bucephala islandica

Native Range: north America (plus Iceland)

Notes: very similar to Common Goldeneye but drake has a moon-shaped (rather than oval) white face patch; breeds on freshwater lakes where it nests on cavities in adjoining cliffs or among rocks.


white below; dark head, upperparts (Northern Ireland zoo; 2008-09-14)

drake stretching and preening (Northern Ireland zoo; 2008-09-14)

hen; dark rufous head; brownish body (Northern Ireland zoo; 2008-09-14)

yellow iris; white scapular patch (Northern Ireland zoo; 2008-09-14)