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Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)

In the breeding season the Common Goldeneye requires a habitat of tall forest interspersed with lakes. The tall forest provides it with its rather unusual nest site, a large hole in a tree, and the lakes must be productive enough to hold enough food, deep enough for the Goldeneye to dive comfortably, and uncluttered with vegetation so that there is a clear run to the bottom, where the bird goes down to feed.

The practice of nesting in holes is always a double-edged sword for any bird, and the Goldeneye is no different. On the one hand holes above ground provide unrivalled security and concealment from predators. But on the other hand, there is always a limited supply, and this means that there is considerable competition for territories. The Goldeneye, furthermore, is quite exacting in its specifications. The hole must be big enough for a duck, which means that large rotten trunks are often required, or the Goldeneye must rely on the presence of Black Woodpeckers (Dryocopus martius) to make their large excavations; the hole should be at least within a couple of kilometres of water; it must be no more than 5m above the ground for the chicks to jump out unharmed; and there must be reasonably clear access for the birds to fly straight in. In some places Goldeneyes are forced to use rabbit holes instead, and if nest boxes are provided, the birds take to them readily.

Away from its nest site the Goldeneye is an inveterate diver. It can be an infuriating bird to watch, as one dive follows another with a short space between. The bird usually goes down no further than 4m, looking mainly for freshwater mussels, insect larvae, and in the breeding season, some plant material. It is always easy to identify, as its bulbous head looks incongruously big for its neck and body, as if it had been donated from another species as a spare part.

In winter Common Goldeneyes move south, where they can be found both on large lakes and on the sea. In winter flocks the males begin displaying, a head-throwing routine, with the head on the back and the bill pointing upwards, being the most prominent.