# Goldeneye?



## SureShot (Oct 2, 2007)

Can somebody help me identify these ducks?










I'm guessing maybe a male and female goldeneye in eclipse?


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## muledeer#1 (Dec 2, 2008)

That's exactly what they are, Young Drake and hen.


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## hensonly (Dec 8, 2009)

1st yr drake and a 2nd yr drake---Whistlers reach full plumage during their 3rd year---the bottom bird looks like a hen -as do most 1st yr divers--but you can see some white on the covert feathers (upper wings)


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## Levy (Oct 2, 2007)

That is a immature drake and a hen golden eye, not two drakes. I believe the scientific name is pooh duckus.


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## bandhunter (Dec 13, 2009)

They are Hen and Drake Common goldeneye! There are two different kinds of goldeneyes, the Common and the Barrows goldeneye. The Barrows goldeneye is less frequent here and has alot less white on the wing patches in flight. The Common has a smaller round white patch on lores and the Barrows has a bigger cresent on its lores. Your drake is a 1st winter bird because of its dull coloring. Hen Barrows goldeneye have small mostly yellow bills where as the common is bigger and mostly black.


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## InvaderZim (Sep 7, 2007)

Another great indicator here is size. That hen is nearly a third smaller than the drake.

Good work on the whilstly birds.


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