Is it a Barrows?

C

Cheech Kehoe

Active member
While hunting on Saturday we got looking at one of the drake goldeneys and I was wondering if one of you more familiar with Barrows Goldeneys could say if the purple headed drake was a Barrows? All the other drakes have a greener head, but this Drake stood out because his head was all purple and no green. Thanks.
PS when I check the "inline box" no picture shows up in the post. If somebody could tell me what I'm doing wrong, that would be great.

View attachment barrows.JPG
View attachment barrows.JPG
 
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He's got the head color but the shape of the face patch is wrong. Was the body color pattern different?
 
As you said, the only thing that looks odd is the head color. It appears to have the other attributes of a Common GE ie. bill size (Barrows have a smaller bill), white spot rather than a crescent. Do you still have the wings? It may just be a color phase or maybe his momma was playing the field a bit.

Similar thing happened to us a few years ago. End of the day we were admiring our birds when someone said "what's up with that hen GE, she's smaller than the others". After analysis it appeared she was a Barrow's hen mixed in with a flock of Commons and Barrows are very uncommon in Wisconsin.
 
It's hard to tell what's up with just a head picture. Could be age, a mutation or a hybrid but it's hard to tell without a wing picture. Maybe it could be a second generation hybrid. It is not a pure Barrows that's for sure and it is a little unusual for a common. I know Lesser Scaup heads can range from purple to green somewhat dependent on age so maybe the same thing can happen to goldeneyes.

Tim
 
Several years ago Maine listed the Barrow's as "threatened" under our state Endangered Species Act. When they did so, it was acknowledged that it was likely hunters would be unable to distinguish the two, especially hens, on the wing, so hunters are not prosecuted for killing a Barrows if they turn in to a warden.

They are actually fairly common here in a few selected spots.

I agree with the assessment above--that's likely an odd color phase on a common Goldeneye, but I'd be calling the warden on that bird, just in case.
 
betting it is a Barrows, common cross---did you take any other shots?
side pattern, scapular area?
Perhaps, a good side of just the head?
 
And population of barrow' s in the east side , Breeding in north east quebec province .. have a special head and color ...

I never see a violet head like the west coast .. it very normal to see a full male color , 5 y old and over but the head have a big green reflex ...

Your bird have the white patch for a borrow and never see a commun with this color ...
 
yes i would say its a cross between the goldeneye and barrows but the barrows has a half moon on the head but the head is the right color of the barrows nice pair to be mounted.
 
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