Goldeneye
| Irish Name: | Órshúileach |
| Scientific name: | Bucephala clangula |
| Bird Family: | Ducks |
red
Conservation status
Conservation status
Status
Winter visitor, most occurring in Ireland between November and April, come from the population breeding in Fennoscandia.
Identification
Medium sized, with large rounded head, crown slightly peaked, bill small and triangular. Speculum white. Male head black with green gloss, large white loral spot, yellow eye, white breast and flanks. Female head brown, collar and belly white, breast and flanks grey, bill dark, with a yellowish band across the outer part when breeding.
Voice
A squeezed double note 'bee-beech'.
Diet
Invertebrates, mostly crustaceans, but also molluscs and occasionally small fish. Insects, especially caddis-fly and chironomid larvae, dominate the diet of birds occurring on inland waters.
Breeding
Nests in holes in trees and nestboxes, and occasionally in rabbit burrows, usually near water. Reported in Britain during the early 1930s, with no further records until one in Scotland in 1970. Breeding range has since expanded, to 95 nests in 1990. One pair bred at Lough Neagh in 2000 - the first breeding record in Ireland.
Wintering
Winter on coastal estuaries and inland lakes. Relatively widespread distribution in Ireland.
Monitored by
Loughs Neagh & Beg in County Antrim, Belfast Lough in County Down, Lough Sheelin in County Cavan, Strangford Lough in County Down and Larne Lough in County Antrim are among the best wintering sites, each supporting between 200 and 7,500 birds.
Breeds in Northern Europe.
Blog posts about this bird
Launch of 45th edition of Irish Birds
The status of Greylag Geese in the Republic of Ireland, mapping of farmland bird hotspots and wintering waterbird trends in Ireland are just some of the many topics covered in the latest edition of Irish Birds.
Published in September 2023, the 45th edition of Ireland’s only ornithological journal is now available for purchase from the BirdWatch Ireland shop and would make the perfect gift for anyone with an interest in birds in Ireland and the latest research in the field of ornithology.
The latest edition of Irish Birds includes an overview of site-level and national trends for 35 wintering waterbird species at the 97 Irish Wetland Bird Survey sites. Across all sites analysed between 1994/95 and 2019/2020, Pochard, Scaup, Goldeneye, Golden Plover, Grey Plover and Lapwing showed large declines of over 50%, while Dunlin and Curlew showed moderate declines. 12 species underwent intermediate declines and the remaining 15 species were stable/ increasing. Further research to determine the drivers of these increases and declines is crucial and will help to shape future conservation efforts.
Farmland birds are one of the most threatened species groups in Europe and many studies have highlighted the declines in population and range of farmland birds in Ireland, the UK and across Europe. The declines, which are affecting sub-groups such as breeding waders and other ground-nesting birds in particular, are attributed to habitat loss and fragmentation, agricultural intensification, land drainage, afforestation and increases in predation. Recognising the important role that agri-environment schemes play in protecting and supporting farmland birds, BirdWatch Ireland has developed a series of maps which illustrate Irish hotspots for 28 species, including Curlew, Lapwing and Yellowhammer. These maps and the methods behind them are included and discussed in another paper – ‘Mapping of Farmland Bird Hotspots: a method to assist targeting of agri-environment measures’ – in the latest edition of Irish Birds.
An assessment of the status Greylag Geese in Ireland during the winter from 2017/18 to 2019/20 showed that the Icelandic population has declined by 42% since the previous assessment in 2007/08. This figure coincides with a c. 45% decline in the flyway population over the same period. Despite these population declines, the distribution of Icelandic Greylag Geese has remained unchanged in the Republic of Ireland over the last 10-12 years, with its concentration being in the eastern half of the country. Meanwhile, the feral population of Irish-breeding Greylag Geese is estimated to have increased by between 109 and 147% since 2008. This study, which was conducted by BirdWatch Ireland in collaboration with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), can be read in Irish Birds. To conclude, this paper offers recommendations on how monitoring of Greylag Geese can be expanded upon and improved to help to increase our understanding of this species in Ireland.
Another incredibly informative read is a review paper that looks at the status of birds in County Cork. This paper is a summary of the incredibly detailed book, The Birds of County Cork, by Patrick Smiddy, Mark Shorten and Russ Heselden, which provides a comprehensive account of the ecology of all species known to have occurred in Cork from the earliest times to the present.
Notes on topics such as trichomonosis in finch species and nocturnal migration are some of the other interesting things that owners of Irish Birds can delve into.
The journal also includes a book of abstracts from the 2023 Ornithological Research Conference at University College Cork (UCC) and the Irish Rare Birds Report 2021. The latter is published on behalf of the Irish Rare Birds Committee (IRBC) – a group operating under the auspices of BirdWatch Ireland that is responsible for maintaining a list of the birds recorded in the Republic of Ireland, along with “at sea” records. The Irish Ringing Report 2021, which summarises birds ringed and caught in Ireland in 2021, is also included in the latest Irish Birds. There were many unusual discoveries, including a Kingfisher found in Tallaght which was previously sighted in East Sussex earlier in the year. Such long-distance movements of Kingfishers, especially overseas, are rare. There are also numerous examples of birds that reached a high age, including a Great Tit that was just one month shy of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) longevity record of 10 years 5 months and 18 days when it was re-trapped in Edenderry in 2021.
As the number one ornithological journal in Ireland, Irish Birds is a necessity for all serious birdwatchers and scientists working in the Irish conservation sector. The 45th edition of Irish Birds is now available from the BirdWatch Ireland shop, both online and in Kilcoole. Should you choose to support BirdWatch Ireland as a key member, you will receive a copy in addition to three copies of our membership magazine, Wings, every year.
Also, for those seeking previous issues, we have plenty of back issues of Irish Birds available at a reduced price. Whether you are keen to complete a collection or simply have a particular interest in a certain year or study, you can contact us to find out more about purchasing back issues.
BirdWatch Ireland expresses disappointment at outcome of Open Seasons Order review
BirdWatch Ireland acknowledges publication of changes to the Open Seasons Order by Minister Noonan for the coming season.
The removal of four duck species – Scaup, Pochard, Goldeneye and Pintail – due to severe declines in their populations shows some progress by the Minister to address the vulnerable status of these species. However, BirdWatch Ireland is disappointed that two additional species that we recommended for removal – Shoveler and Golden Plover – remain on the list though the science clearly shows declines in those populations also.
No rationale has been provided as to why these species remain on the list. The information provided announcing the decision is inadequate and lacking detail. The most severe impacts to waterbirds and wading birds that are on the Open Seasons Order relate to habitat loss and degradation, pollution, disturbance and climate change. However, every pressure and threat must be addressed considering the dire conservation status of many of the species that are huntable in Ireland. We hope that hunting organisations will support this decision and we also hope that government will assist hunting organisations to be able to contribute to data collection in Ireland.
Earlier this year, BirdWatch Ireland called for six of the 21 bird species currently permitted to be hunted under the Open Seasons Order to be removed from the list, a suggestion underpinned by the robust scientific evidence of their ongoing declines in Ireland. We also urged for more analysis to be undertaken by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to determine how best to proceed in relation to nine of the other species listed. These proposals were some of many made as part of our submission to the public consultation on the review of the Open Seasons Order for Birds.
Launched on March 22 by Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, this consultation was aimed at gathering views to ensure that the hunting of the listed species was sustainable and in line with Ireland’s obligations under EU legislation. It also offered an opportunity to put forward other suggestions in relation to improving data collection and protecting vulnerable bird species in Ireland. In the submission, BirdWatch Ireland stated that Shoveler, Scaup, Pochard, Goldeneye, Golden Plover and Pintail should be removed from the list of species permitted for hunting. Of these species, five are Red-listed species on the Birds of Conservation Concern Ireland (BOCCI) list, while one – the Pintail – is an Amber-listed species. Indeed, data from BirdWatch Ireland’s Irish Wetland Bird Survey (I-WeBS) – one of Ireland’s longest-running wildlife monitoring programmes – has shown steep short- and long-term declines in the populations of these species. According to the latest I-WeBS data, which is collected in a standardised manner and analysed using best practice methods developed by international scientists, the Republic of Ireland population of Pochard is estimated to number 4,729 individuals, with estimates for the other species even lower – Shoveler (1,865), Goldeneye (1256), Pintail (1,017) and Scaup (167).
BirdWatch Ireland has also called for further analysis to be undertaken by the NPWS in relation to nine of the other species listed – Tufted Duck, Snipe, Mallard, Woodcock, Teal, Gadwall, Red Grouse, Wigeon and Jack Snipe. Of these species, three are currently Red-listed (Snipe, Woodcock, Red Grouse), with five Amber-listed (Tufted Duck, Mallard, Teal, Gadwall, Wigeon) and one Green-listed (Jack Snipe). Declining populations as underpinned by IWeBS data coupled with a number of data gaps give serious cause for concern for these species. BirdWatch Ireland called for the NPWS to carry out additional analysis of the data for these species across their wintering and breeding populations and range, in order to inform the best next steps to take for them.
In addition to the suggested changes to the Open Seasons Order Species list, BirdWatch Ireland made a number of other suggestions in its submission. It is calling for the Open Seasons Order to be reviewed more regularly, particularly in light of the ongoing threat of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and the rapid negative change that could occur in a population as a result of an outbreak.
Supporting hunting organisations in the collection of data, extending the network of wildfowl sanctuaries, implementing a more regional- and county-based approach for certain species and addressing the issue of disturbance at important wetland sites are some of the other suggestions put forward by BirdWatch Ireland.
Throughout the submission, BirdWatch Ireland noted the Irish Government’s ongoing failure comprehensively to address the conservation of wild bird species and its poor track record in upholding its environmental commitments under EU law. This is despite Dáil Éireann’s declaration of a climate and biodiversity emergency in 2019, and the well-established fact that Ireland’s wild birds are faring worse than ever. Indeed, BirdWatch Ireland’s Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland assessment in 2021 showed that 63 per cent of Ireland’s regularly occurring species are Red or Amber listed birds of conservation concern.
All birds, including Red and Amber-listed species, are facing numerous human-induced pressures and it is vital that the individual and cumulative impacts of these pressures are addressed.
If the State wishes to have any chance of reversing populations declines, it urgently needs to enforce environmental legislation, as well as ensure sectoral policies such as agriculture, afforestation, renewable energy and peatlands have conservation of bird species integrated firmly in their plans and processes.