ML631818799

Observation details

An adult male. They are uncommon visitors to California from breeding grounds in Alaska and Western Canada. In comparison with the more familiar Common Goldeneye, male Barrow's has a steeper forehead, smaller bill, a tear-drop shaped white crescent between the bill and eye and more dark on the scapulars with white spots surrounded by black forming a "piano key" pattern. Even though breeding populations are widely separated, no geographic variation has been found.