How to identify it
18-22 in; smaller bill and steeper forehead than Common Goldeneye. [1]
Male: white crescent (not a round spot) in front of the eye and more black on the back than Common Goldeneye. [1]
Female: often has an all pinkish-yellow bill and may have a darker brown head than female Common Goldeneye; head shape is a good clue, but females are not always safely identified. [1]
Compared with the common goldeneye: Common has a larger bill, more sloping forehead and, in males, a round white face spot rather than a crescent. [1]
Species it is confused with
Check these before deciding what you are looking at. If you are not certain what it is, do not shoot.
- Common goldeneye · Bucephala clangula
Field notes
- Identification Do not identify Barrow's goldeneye from colour alone. Compare structure, size, range and the listed similar species before making a field decision.[1]
Where it lives
Breeds on cold inland waters such as small lakes, rivers and beaver ponds, mostly in forested country. [1]
Winters mainly on shallow, protected coastal bays and estuaries; some winter inland on lakes and rivers kept open by dams or hot springs. [1]
How it behaves
Winters in small groups on cold water, sometimes mixed with Common Goldeneye flocks. [1]
Where it is listed for legal take
These authorities list this species for legal take in their own regulations.
Where legal take is listed
- Alberta — migratory bird hunting · 2026 Alberta Guide to Hunting Regulations
- British Columbia — migratory bird hunting · 2026-2028 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis
- Canada (federal migratory birds) — migratory bird hunting · Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022 (SOR/2022-105), Schedule Parts 7-13 (MB, SK, AB, BC, NT, YT, NU)
- New Brunswick — migratory bird hunting · Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022, Schedule 3, Part 4 (New Brunswick) (current to 2026-09-21)
- Newfoundland and Labrador — migratory bird hunting · Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022, Schedule 3, Part 1 (Newfoundland and Labrador) (current to 2026-09-21)
- Nova Scotia — migratory bird hunting · Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022, Schedule 3, Part 3 (Nova Scotia) (current to 2026-09-21)
- Ontario — migratory bird hunting · Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022, Schedule 3, Part 6 (Ontario) (current to 2026-09-21)
- Prince Edward Island — migratory bird hunting · Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022, Schedule 3, Part 2 (Prince Edward Island) (current to 2026-09-21)
- Québec — migratory bird hunting · Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022, Schedule 3, Part 5 (Quebec) (current to 2026-09-21)
- Saskatchewan — migratory bird hunting · Saskatchewan Hunters Guide 2026-27
- Alaska — migratory bird hunting · 2026-2027 Alaska Migratory Game Bird Hunting Regulations
- Colorado — migratory bird hunting · 2 CCR 406-5 Chapter W-5 Migratory Birds (03/04/2026; eff. 2026-05-01)
- Delaware — migratory bird hunting · 2026-27 Delaware Hunting & Trapping Guide: Migratory Bird Seasons & Bag Limits
- Idaho — migratory bird hunting · Idaho Migratory Game Bird 2026-2027 Seasons & Rules
- Montana — migratory bird hunting · 2026 Waterfowl, Sandhill Cranes, Mourning Doves & Snipe Regulations
- New Mexico — migratory bird hunting · 2026-2027 New Mexico Migratory Game Bird Supplement
- South Dakota — migratory bird hunting · 2026 South Dakota Hunting and Trapping Handbook
- Utah — migratory bird hunting · 2026-27 Waterfowl, Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook
- Wyoming — migratory bird hunting · WGFC Ch. 14 Migratory Game Bird Hunting Seasons and Light Goose Conservation Order (dated Apr 22 2026)
Being listed is not an open season. Seasons, zones, licences, methods and limits decide whether this animal may be taken on a given day and place — check Hunt or the authority before you go. Listings read 2026-09-30.
Where it is found
Found mainly in northwestern North America, with small populations in eastern Canada (and Iceland); some now winter on the lower Colorado River below dams.
Sources
Every claim above is attributed to one of these published sources.
- BIOLOGICALBarrow's Goldeneye | Audubon Field Guide
National Audubon Society · reviewed 2026-09-30
National Audubon Society