Breeding Population Survey 1955-2010 - graphed Goldeneyes 1-12

Author(s): 
Hodges, John (Jack)
Publication Date: 
2010

The graph for goldeneyes on strata 8-11 (Alaskan tundra) does display an apparant decline from about 1967 to about 1990. There needs to be caution in interpretation of these data. Goldeneyes are very difficult to detect and identify on the breeding pair survey. Very few observations are made, which inherently causes observers to be reluctant to place an observation in the goldeneye category unless the sighting was close and in good lighting. It is difficult to tell the goldeneyes from the mergansers, and mergansers are much more abundant, so the tendency is to place a questionable bird into the merganser category. For strata 8-11 there are only about 5 to 20 observations of goldeneye per year. That is a very small number of observations for having much confidence in the trend information.