CWS Atlantic Barrow's Goldeneye Surveys

Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) is a relatively rare species in the Canadian Atlantic Provinces. Small numbers of birds during moulting and staging periods consistently occur in all four provinces. The Eastern population of Barrow's Goldeneye in North America was assessed in 2000 by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) as a species of special concern and was listed as such in Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act (SARA) in 2003. The range limits of the eastern population of Barrow’s Goldeneye are still unknown. Small numbers of this population winter in eastern North America, approximately 400 in the Atlantic Provinces and Maine. Based on this information, the wintering population of Barrow's Goldeneye in eastern Northern America is estimated at about 4500 individuals or 1400 pairs (30% of birds are adult females). Specific population trends are unknown but it is believed that the eastern population of the species declined during the 20th Century and that it may still be declining. These almost entirely ground-based surveys and incidental records were designed to track occurrences of Barrow's Goldeneye and identify important migration, staging and wintering areas in Atlantic Canada.


Due to its relative smaller population, the eastern population of Barrow’s Goldeneye is more vulnerable to hunting, both intentional and unintentional, when compared to its western counterpart. The number of birds harvested each fall is low but the small continuous harvest could have significant impact on this population. Incompatible forest exploitation practices constitute threats to the species’ breeding habitats. These include the destruction of nests, reduction of the number of potential nesting sites and exposure of young to increased predation and disturbance. During non-breeding, chronic and catastrophic oil spills constitute potential threats to the Barrow’s Goldeneye in coastal areas, especially along the St. Lawrence migration corridor in late fall, winter and early spring. Sediment contamination at wintering areas (and contamination of prey base) may also affect the health of birds along the corridor.


Barrow’s Goldeneye has a similar world-wide distribution to Harlequin Duck, suggesting that both species may have shared glaciation refugia, providing an ongoing example of speciation. Eastern Populations are isolated from western ones and also likely isolated from the Icelandic population. The eastern population of Barrow’s Goldeneye is thus important from a conservation point of view since it probably diverges genetically from other populations; and the long-term conservation of species likely depends upon the protection of genetically distinct population (Lesica and Allendorf, 1995).


This dataset represents a compilation of surveys across the Atlantic Region from 1981 to present. Surveys were conducted as point counts from fixed locations, and Barrow's Goldeneye along with other species of waterfowl were recorded at each location.


Lesica, P. and Allendorf, F. 1995. When Are Peripheral Populations Valuable for Conservation? Conservation Biology. 9:4. 753-760. doi.org/10.1046/j.1523-1739.1995.09040753.x

Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada