resulted in only 4.71 ducklings by the time the young were fully feathered but 

 not yet capable of flight. 



Age at Fledging Age at first flight for North American birds is 56-60 days 

 (Bellrose 1976). Cramp et al . (1977) indicated a fledging period of 57 to 66 

 days, with ducklings becoming independent of their parents at about 50 days. 



Age at First Breeding Bellrose (1976) suggested that most Common Golden- 

 eyes breed for the first time in their second year, and cited a report indica- 

 ting that some may not breed until their third year or later. 



Mortality of Eggs and Young Nests in Minnesota were destroyed by raccoons 

 ( Procyon lotor ) , red squirrels ( Tamiasciurus hudsonicus ) , and Starlings ( Sturnus 

 vulgaris ) (Johnson 1967 _in Bellrose 1976). Eggs were eaten by martens ( Martes 

 martes ) and jays ( Garrulus glandarius ) in southwest Sweden (Eriksson 1979c). 

 Dump nesting causes the desertion of some nests, as does human disturbance 

 (Bellrose 1976). Loss of clutches in southwest Sweden, 1971-1977, was attri- 

 buted to desertion (22% of nests lost) and predation (52%); the reason why other 

 nesting attempts failed was not known. Two earlier studies conducted in Finland 

 found desertion to be the most common cause of nest failure (Eriksson 1979c). 

 Palmer (1976b) noted that competition for nest sites was a source of egg loss. 

 Very little is known of the sources of mortality in young birds. 



Renesting Bellrose (1976) suggested that some renesting probably occurs 

 if nests are lost during egg- laying and remarked that probably only a small pro- 

 portion of hens that lose clutches re-lay. Linkola (1962 in Cramp et al. 1977) 

 indicated that this was the situation for birds nesting in Europe. 



Maximum Natural Longevity A Common Goldeneye banded in North America 

 apparently reached an age of at least 14 years and 3 months (Clapp et al. in 

 press). Another bird banded when full grown in Europe survived for another 17 

 years (Rydzewski 1978). 



Weight Fifty-eight males averaged 2.2 lb (998 g) and 53 females averaged 

 1.8 lb (816 g)(Nelson and Martin 1953). 



SUSCEPTIBILITY TO OIL POLLUTION 



The Common Goldeneye is frequently a victim of oiling but usually only a 

 few individuals are involved (Table 11). King and Sanger (1979) considered 

 this species one that could be affected by oil pollution in the Pacific North- 

 west but not one that would be severely at risk. Recent oil spiJls in Chesa- 

 peake Bay resulted in relatively large fatalities for wintering Common Golden- 

 eyes (Table 11). Common Goldeneyes are not abundant in waters of the southeast- 

 ern United States, and the birds do not gather in large rafts as do many sea 

 ducks. In most of the southeastern states, oiling is unlikely to have a sub- 

 stantially detrimental effect on the overall population of the Common Goldeneye. 

 However, these birds might suffer significant losses in the colder, more north- 

 ern, waters of North Carolina, and possibly during cold winters along the north- 

 ern and western Gulf, where the species may be more abundant than is usually 

 thought . 



395 



