Goldeneye ID and Hybrids

[Bobolink44]

Keith Vinicombe has posted a shot on Stop Press (http://www.surfbirds.com/cgi-bin/gallery/display.cgi?gallery=gallery9) of an interesting Goldeneye at Chew that has been difficult to pin down apparently. It's being labelled as Presumed Barrow's x Common Goldeneye hybrid (ad female). Comments from Keith are: "Head shape, head colour, size and culmen profile suggest Barrow's but upperwing pattern, lack of strong bulge at rear of head, extent of brown on fore-neck and bill length suggest Common." Here's a direct link (http://www.surfbirds.com/media/gallery_photos/20080106081853.jpg) to photo for future reference.

There are other photos on Surfbirds of hybrids. Here's a hybrid male Barrow's x Common Goldeneye (http://www.surfbirds.com/cgi-bin/gallery/search2.cgi?species=Barrow's%20x%20Common%20Golden eye) by Bruce Finnan.

For reference, here are some straightforward Barrow's:

Nice head shape comparison from Bill Schmoker. Barrow's female is 2nd from right (http://www.schmoker.org/BirdPics/Photos/Waterfowl/BAGO_COGOhens.jpg)

Close up of a female head shape by Daniel Bergman (http://www.birdsasart.com/Barrow's%20Goldeneye.jpg)

Birding magazine published something on hybrid goldeneyes back in mid 90s. I'll have to look to see if I have it and can scan a copy if anyone is interested. I feel there are too many open and unsolved ID issues hanging out on this forum :puzzled:

[timmyjones]

Photo's not the best. I was at slimbridge the other day and was very usefull as in the captive collection they have barrows and common in pools next to each other but not in together so there aint no hybrids in there but you could clearly tell the difference in head shape.

Have you got a link for the wing pattern? with pics etc Thanks.

[Josh Jones]

Hard to say from this one image, as with Timmy, would be fascinated to see more!

[rmielcarek]

Maybe I should expand on some of the points that Keith has made about this interesting bird.

Head colour - the head is darker than in female Common Goldeneye, close to 'dark chocolate' unlike the reddish brown of Common.
Size - when seen with female Common this bird is slightly longer and obviously bulkier, sitting higher in the water. The head is also bigger and 'fuller'.
Upperwing pattern - is the same as in female Common Goldeneye ie three white bars across the coverts.

Unfortunately it is difficult to view, only venturing out from the edge of the reeds when actively feeding.

Quite a subtle bird but if you are lucky enough to see it next to a female Common it is amazing how different it is. However it doesn't seem quite right for a female Barrow's.

No other pics in the public domain as far as I know.

Chew is a bit of a hybrid hotspot, not sure why - 10 different aythya hybrids there this autumn, plus this and then 3 different LBBxHG gulls today.

Rich M

[W. Ruskin Butterfield]

An interesting photo:
http://www.jeaniron.ca/2006/femalecommongoldeneye.htm . My short take from Birding article Identificationof Common x Barrow's Goldeneye Hybrids in the field Paul R. Martin and Bruce M. Di Labio Birding v. 26 (2) April 1994 p. 104-105.
Apparent hybrids between Common Goldeney and Barrow’s Goldeneye have been described from northeastern North America (eleven records), western North America (over eight records), and Iceland (two records) . Paul R. Martin and Bruce M. Di Labio (1994) Natural hybrids between the Common Goldeneye and Barrow’s Goldeneye. Canadian Field-naturalist 108:195-198 . J. Fjeldsa 1973 Possible female hybrids between Bucephala islandica and clangula. Bulletin of the British Ornithologist Club 93: 6-9 Hybrids have Barrow’s type body with Common type head. Females suspected hybrids showed other intermediate characteristics including wing pattern head and bill shape and bill color. Too little is known of first year female plumages for accurate ID. Anyone viewing goldeneyes in western Europe especially Iceland should watch out for hybrids.

Ontario Birds
15: 2, August 1997, called Bill Colour and Identification of Female Barrow's Goldeneye by Bruce Di Labio, Ron Pittaway and Peter Burke. The authors wrote this article to address the confusion about the identification of female Barrow's Goldeneye and the misleading information provided in many field guides. They start their article by saying: "The bill colour of adult female Barrow's Goldeneye (bucephala islandica) in eastern North America is described inaccurately in most North American field guides and published literature. This has led to much confusion among birders...The purpose of this paper is to clarify the bill colour issue and review the field identification of adult female Barrow's Goldeneye in the winter." The article thoroughly analyses the problem, describes plumage and age, bill colour, field identification and hybrids. Peter Burke's drawings show the
differences in head and bill shape between female Barrow's and Common
Goldeneyes.

On the issue of hybrids, the authors say: "Although the probability of
encountering a hybrid is remote, any female that does not show the classic features of a Barrow's or Common Goldeneye should be left unidentified." In conclusion the authors say: "The combination of head shape and bill size are the best field marks to distinguish female Common and Barrow's Goldeneyes. Bill colour of Barrow's is helpful, but it should not be used as a diagnostic field mark. A surprising number of Common Goldeneyes have mostly or all yellow or orange bills. There is no difference in bill colour between the eastern and western populations of adult female Barrow's Goldeneyes in North America; both populations have the same yellow-orange bills. However, adult female Barrow's in Iceland have yellow or orange tipped bills that are different from North American birds. Barrow's Goldeneyes wintering in the east probably originate from the nesting population in Quebec and Labrador."

W.

[rmielcarek]

There is now an article on this bird on the CVL birding website - see under Fuzzy Duck.

Rich M

[AndyB]

Thanks Rich. Here's a direct link to the article (http://www.cvlbirding.co.uk/kev/anotherfunnyduck.html)