AMERICAN GOLDEN-EYE 



263 



whiter scapulars and the fact that the sides are only narrowly edged with black. 

 Barrow's on the water is predominantly black because the scapulars are only 

 spotted white and the sides are broad- 

 ly edged with black. The female Amer- 

 ican cannot be told from the female 

 Barrow's in life. 



IN FLIGHT. The male in flight 

 shows more white of body and wings 

 than any other duck except the Ameri- 

 can Merganser; by this and by its big, 

 round, black head and short, thick neck, 

 it is easily recognized. The grey-backed 

 female, with its big brown head, white 

 collar and white wing-patch and breast, 

 is also readily identified. The male of 

 the Barrow's species shows more black 

 in the wings but is difficult to separate 

 from the male American in flight. Both 

 on the water and in flight Golden-eyes 

 are very active birds. The flight is ex- 

 ceedingly swift and strong and is accompanied by an extraordinary vibrant whis- 

 tling of the wings, audible at a great distance; by this characteristic wing-sound they 

 can usually be identified. The flocks are generally small and, when rising from 

 the water proceed for a long distance at low elevation, circling several times to 

 gain height. 



VOICE. Not very voluble birds. The male has a penetrating cry, speer, speer; 

 the female, when startled, a sharp cur-r-rew, and a low-pitched quack, harsher than 

 that of the Mallard. The courtship voice of the male is a harsh, rasping, double 

 note zzee-at, and a flat vibrant paaap; that of the female is a single whistling peep, 

 peep. 



Below, American Golden-eyes. Above, 

 male Barrow's Golden-eye. 



LIFE STORY 



The American Golden-eye is widely and aptly called "whistler" or 

 '"whistle-wing" on account of the penetrating, vibrant, whistling sound 

 made by its wings when in flight. A closely allied race is found through- 

 out Europe and Asia. Our American variety is widely distributed across 

 the continent and is one of the best known and most plentiful of all 

 American wild fowl. This duck, Barrow's Golden-eye and the Buffle- 

 head belong to a group of pied ducks which are very similar in appear- 

 ance and habits; some authorities group the three into a single genus, 

 Bucephala. The American Ornithologists' Union, however, shows the 

 Buffle-head as a separate genus and it is so dealt with in this work, 

 though the great similarity of the three ducks is worthy of note. 



"Of all wing music, from the droning of the rufous hummer to the 

 startling whirr of the ruffed grouse, I know of none so thrilling sweet as 

 the whistling wing-note of the Golden-eye. A pair of the birds have been 

 frightened from the water, and as they rise in rapid circles to gain a 



