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Painted

Published

1930

Volume

3

Plate

151

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Goldeneye

Clangular clangular americana

DESCRIPTION

My ax strokes were the only sounds which broke the stillness of the November day. Half a mile west of our home the Taconic Hills country is remote as the Rockies and as lonely. There came into the quiet a steady high-pitched whistle and over the cliff shot five Whistlers! They circled the tiny valley but did not alight in the little brook. The curtains of memory slipt back and I remembered a Maine lake, dusted white by a nor'wester, and five GOLDENEYES disporting in smooth water under the lee bank. All flashing white and glistening emerald, the three males swung past with heads aloft, voicing sharp vibrant raap raap raap "love notes."

The females pretended they did not know what the performance was about but when one tried to swim away, an impetuous suitor headed her off and kept the two innocents within the charmed circle. And all this energy, this wild display of feathers, foam and ardor transmuted from little fish and water insects!

Goldeneyes are as hardy and weatherproof as Old Squaws and I have watched them from dune shelter, playing and feeding when spray from breaking waves smoked in the zero air. They prefer fresh and brackish waters and only leave for the ocean when these resorts freeze.

BREEDING

NEST: in hollow tree, near or over water, from six to sixty feet above ground. Sometimes on level with entrance or fifteen feet below it. The opening may be a slit thru which the female can scarcely squeeze, and the accuracy and speed with which they hit the orifice are amazing. Males practice broken wing ruse to lure intruders from the vicinity.

EGGS — 6 to 15; pale green; sometimes deposited in two layers and surrounded by down.

RANGE

North America. Breeds nearly to Arctic Circle.

goldeneye
merganser
Merganser
129
redbreast-merganser
Redbreast Merganser
130
hood-merganser
Hood Merganser
131
mallard
Mallard
132
black-duck
Black Duck, Redleg Black Duck
133-133a
florida-duck-mottled-duck
Florida Duck, Mottled Duck
134-134a
gadwall
Gadwall
135
redhead-widgeon
Redhead Widgeon
136
baldpate
Baldpate
137
greenwing-teal
Greenwing Teal
139
bluewing-teal
Bluewing Teal
140
cinnamon-teal
Cinnamon Teal
141
shoveler
Shoveler
142
pintail
Pintail
143
wood-duck
Wood Duck
144
redhead
Redhead
146
canvasback
Canvasback
147
scaup-duck
Scaup Duck
148
lesser-scaup-duck
Lesser Scaup Duck
149
ringneck-duck
Ringneck Duck
150
goldeneye
Goldeneye
151
barrow-goldeneye
Barrow Goldeneye
152
bufflehead
Bufflehead
153
oldsquaw
Oldsquaw
154
harlequin-duck
Harlequin Duck
155
steller-eider
Steller Eider
157
spectacled-eider
Spectacled Eider
158
northern-eider
Northern Eider
159
eider
Eider
160
pacific-eider
Pacific Eider
161
king-eider
King Eider
162
scoter
Scoter
163
whitewing-scoter
Whitewing Scoter
165
surf-scoter
Surf Scoter
166
ruddy-duck
Ruddy Duck
167
mask-duck
Mask Duck
168
snow-goose
Snow Goose
169
blue-goose
Blue Goose
169.1
greater-snow-goose
Greater Snow Goose
169a
ross-goose
Ross Goose
170
whitefront-goose
Whitefront Goose
171a
canada-goose
Canada Goose, Hutchin Goose
172-172a
whitecheek-goose
Whitecheek Goose
172b
cackling-goose
Cackling Goose
172c
brant
Brant
173a
black-brant
Black Brant
174
barnacle-goose
Barnacle Goose
175
emperor-goose
Emperor Goose
176
blackbelly-treeduck
Blackbelly Treeduck
177
fulvous-treeduck
Fulvous Treeduck
178
whistling-swan
Whistling Swan
180
trumpeter-swan
Trumpeter Swan
181
flamingo
Flamingo
182
roseate-spoonbill
Roseate Spoonbill
183
white-ibis
White Ibis
184
glossy-ibis
Glossy Ibis
186
whiteface-glossy-ibis
Whiteface Glossy Ibis
187
wood-ibis
Wood Ibis
188
bittern
Bittern
190
least-bittern
Least Bittern
191
cory-least-bittern
Cory Least Bittern
191.1
great-white-heron
Great White Heron
192
great-blue-heron
Great Blue Heron
194
northwestern-coast-heron-ward-heron
Northwestern Coast Heron, Ward Heron
194a-194b
egret
Egret
196
snowy-egret
Snowy Egret
197
redish-egret
Redish Egret
198
louisiana-heron
Louisiana Heron
199
little-blue-heron
Little Blue Heron
200
green-heron
Green Heron
201
frazer-green-heron-anthony-green-heron
Frazar Green Heron, Anthony Green Heron
201a-201b
blackcrown-night-heron
Blackcrown Night Heron
202
yellowcrown-night-heron
Yellowcrown Night Heron
203
whooping-crane
Whooping Crane
204
little-brown-crane
Little Brown Crane
205
sandhill-crane
Sandhill Crane
206
limpkin
Limpkin
207