Common Goldeneye
Common GoldeneyeCommon GoldeneyeCommon GoldeneyeCommon Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Saguaro National Park
451 Verified sightings at Saguaro National Park From 2019 to 2026
14,328 Verified sightings across all 51 parks From 2019 to 2026
January Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Common Goldeneye

The common goldeneye or simply goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) is a medium-sized sea duck of the genus Bucephala, the goldeneyes. Its closest relative is the similar Barrow's goldeneye. The genus name is derived from the Ancient Greek boukephalos ("bullheaded", from bous, "bull" and kephale, "head"), a reference to the bulbous head shape of the bufflehead. The species name is derived from the Latin clangere ("to resound").

Common goldeneyes are aggressive and territorial ducks, and have elaborate courtship displays. The common goldeneye was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Anas clangula. Linnaeus specified the type location as Europe but in 1761 restricted this to Sweden. The common goldeneye is now one of three species placed in the genus Bucephala that was introduced in 1858 by the American naturalist Spencer Baird. The genus name is from Ancient Greek boukephalos meaning "bullheaded" or "large-headed". The specific epithet is from Latin clangere meaning "to resound".

Two subspecies are recognised: B. c. clangula (Linnaeus, 1758) – subarctic from Scotland and Scandinavia... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Saguaro National Park

Bufflehead
LC

Bufflehead

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bucephala albeola

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Barrow's Goldeneye

Barrow's Goldeneye

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bucephala islandica

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Mallard
LC

Mallard

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas platyrhynchos

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
American Wigeon
LC

American Wigeon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mareca americana

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Ring-necked Duck
LC

Ring-necked Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aythya collaris

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Northern Shoveler
LC

Northern Shoveler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spatula clypeata

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Ruddy Duck
LC

Ruddy Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Oxyura jamaicensis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Cinnamon Teal
LC

Cinnamon Teal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spatula cyanoptera

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Common Teal
LC

Common Teal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas crecca

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Northern Pintail
LC

Northern Pintail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas acuta

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Gadwall
LC

Gadwall

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mareca strepera

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Mexican Duck

Mexican Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas diazi

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~50%
2 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~40%
3 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~30%
4 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~30%
5 Voyageurs National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
6 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
7 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
~20%
8 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~20%
9 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
10 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
11 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
12 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
13 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
14 Gauja National Park 🇱🇻 Latvia
~10%
15 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
~10%
16 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
17 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
18 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
19 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
~10%
20 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
21 Nikko National Park 🇯🇵 Japan
~10%
22 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
23 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%
24 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
25 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
<5%
26 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
27 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
28 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
29 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
30 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
31 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
32 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
<5%
33 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
34 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
35 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
<5%
36 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
<5%
37 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
38 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
39 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
<5%
40 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
41 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
42 Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park 🇲🇳 Mongolia
<5%
43 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
44 Nahanni National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
45 Jiuzhaigou National Park 🇨🇳 China
Insufficient data
46 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
47 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
48 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
49 Camargue 🇫🇷 France
Insufficient data
50 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
51 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Common Goldeneye in Saguaro National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Common Goldeneye sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 451 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Common Goldeneye in Saguaro National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Common Goldeneye in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Saguaro National Park