Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)Where and when to see it in the UK
Winter visitor · reporting peaks December to February · Ducks, Swans, and Geese · BOU category AE*F
Peak months
Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (grid squares, place names from OS Open Names). Northern Ireland place names: OSNI Open Data, OGL v3.0. County and country boundaries: Office for National Statistics, Open Government Licence v3.0. Coastline: Natural Earth. Bird records from the data partners listed here.
Goldeneye has been recorded in 1,455 of the 2,971 10 km squares covering UK land (49%) in records to 2026. Winter visitor in the UK. Its strongest squares are in England, Scotland and Wales. Reporting peaks in December to February.
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, LC)
View on the IUCN Red List- Very high
- 41% or more of visits
- High
- 13% to 41%
- Moderate
- 4% to 13%
- Low
- under 4%
- Surveyed, not recorded
- at least 20 qualifying visits, no record
- Insufficient records
- too few visits to say
- Lighter fill
- Few visits, lower confidence
- Small dot
- Occasional: a single record, or out of season
Relative to this species' best squares (how classes are calculated)
Seasonality
| Month | Relative to peak | Share of visits | Typical class |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 100% | 11% | Very high |
| February | 86% | 9% | Very high |
| March | 73% | 8% | Very high |
| April | 9% | <1% | Very high |
| May | 4% | <1% | Low |
| June | 4% | <1% | Very high |
| July | 2% | <1% | Very high |
| August | 3% | <1% | Low |
| September | 5% | <1% | Low |
| October | 22% | 2% | Low |
| November | 75% | 8% | High |
| December | 89% | 9% | Very high |
Squares with the highest reporting rate in January
| Square | Where | Share of visits | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| D15 | Causeway Coast and Glens, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| D40 | Mid and East Antrim, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| H14 | Fermanagh and Omagh, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| H15 | Fermanagh and Omagh, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| H76 | Mid Ulster, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| HU43 | Shetland Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| J17 | Antrim and Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| J18 | Antrim and Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| J43 | Newry, Mourne and Down, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| ND25 | Highland, Scotland | 100% | Very high |