Common Goldeneye female

Typical bill pattern with mostly black bill and limited yellow near the tip. A few female Commons, especially juveniles, can have much more extensive yellow, even an all-yellow bill at times (more often a dull yellowish on juveniles).

Head shape with goldeneyes is variable and dependent on activity, so to assess it's best to study the bird for a while. The most typical shape is seen with the bird at rest and not actively feeding or agitated. This bird shows the usual forehead slope with central crown peak of Common, though sometimes this can become less peaked and more gradually sloped on the forehead.