The name of this bird sounds like the title of a James Bond film: Barrow's Goldeneye. They even look suave and sophisticated, sporting a dashing black and white tuxedo.
These handsome ducks are mostly seen in the Northwest, nesting in trees adjacent to freshwater lakes and ponds during breeding season, or during other seasons in sheltered saltwater or freshwater areas. They dine on small fish and aquatic invertebrates like crayfish, and on the larvae of dragonfly, mayfly, caddisfly, water boatmen and other insects.
The origin for the "Goldeneye" part of the name is obvious. The "Barrow" portion is in honor of Sir John Barrow - geographer, writer, and Second Secretary to the Admiralty in the 1800's who mapped the interior of South Africa, promoted discovery missions to the Arctic and the search for a "North-West Passage", and wrote "The Mutiny on the Bounty". Barrow Point in Alaska is also named for him.
For those of you familiar with the Common Goldeneye, the Barrow's looks similar to the Common, but the white patch around the bill is a crescent, not circular, and the forehead is more blunt. The wings are mostly black with thick white bars, rather than fine streaks, and the sides have more black than white.
I found this pair at Smith Rock State Park in Oregon. Disappointingly, the ducks' British accent was lacking, and there's no sign of the signature Bond car.
These handsome ducks are mostly seen in the Northwest, nesting in trees adjacent to freshwater lakes and ponds during breeding season, or during other seasons in sheltered saltwater or freshwater areas. They dine on small fish and aquatic invertebrates like crayfish, and on the larvae of dragonfly, mayfly, caddisfly, water boatmen and other insects.
The origin for the "Goldeneye" part of the name is obvious. The "Barrow" portion is in honor of Sir John Barrow - geographer, writer, and Second Secretary to the Admiralty in the 1800's who mapped the interior of South Africa, promoted discovery missions to the Arctic and the search for a "North-West Passage", and wrote "The Mutiny on the Bounty". Barrow Point in Alaska is also named for him.
For those of you familiar with the Common Goldeneye, the Barrow's looks similar to the Common, but the white patch around the bill is a crescent, not circular, and the forehead is more blunt. The wings are mostly black with thick white bars, rather than fine streaks, and the sides have more black than white.
I found this pair at Smith Rock State Park in Oregon. Disappointingly, the ducks' British accent was lacking, and there's no sign of the signature Bond car.
