Common x Barrow’s Goldeneye (hybrid)

Bucephala clangula x islandica

Status: Rare casual winter visitor.

Records: There are three records:

11 Mar 2023 Scottsbluff WTP, Scotts Bluff Co (Mlodinow, Ely; eBird.org)

13 Dec 2020 Gavin’s Point Dam, Knox Co (Strand, eBird.org)

18 Jan 2025 Lake Ogallala,Keith Co (Anderson, Pieplow, eBird.org).

Comments: This is a commonly reported hybrid in the eastern and western US as might be expected given the locations of the eastern and western summer ranges of Barrow’s Goldeneye, but there are only eight records on the Great Plains, three in Nebraska (eBird.org, accessed Mar 2025).

Seven mixed Common and Barrow’s pairs were observed in British Columbia; of 24 females showing intermediate plumages and morphology, DNA analysis found only two hybrids (Eadie et al 2020).

Literature Cited

Eadie, J. M., J.-P. L. Savard, and M. L. Mallory. 2020. Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole and F. B. Gill, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.bargol.01.

Recommended Citation

Silcock, W.R., and J.G. Jorgensen. 2025. Common x Barrow’s Goldeneye (hybrid) (Bucephala clangula x islandica). In Birds of Nebraska — Online. www.BirdsofNebraska.org

Updated 22 Mar 2025