Common Goldeneye

The Common Goldeneye is a compact diving duck named for its bright yellow iris. Breeding males have a glossy dark-green head, round white cheek spot and crisp black-and-white body. Females have chocolate-brown heads, grey bodies and yellow-tipped dark bills. The steep forehead and triangular head profile are characteristic, while rapid wingbeats produce a distinctive whistling sound during flight (Wikipedia, general species account).

Goldeneyes breed on wooded lakes and rivers, placing their nests in tree cavities or nest boxes. They dive for aquatic insects, crustaceans, molluscs, small fish and some plant food, using their feet for propulsion. Ducklings leap from the nest cavity soon after hatching. Northern populations migrate to ice-free lakes and sheltered coastal waters, where flocks regularly winter in Japan (Wikipedia, general species account).