Has anyone seen or killed one in Alabama? Granted I am pretty much strictly a wood duck hunter because that is all we have on our lease but I know a few other common ducks. I was sitting in my deer stand last weekend when 2 ducks that I did not recognize flew into our wood duck hole. They were calling when they flew over. After doling some research, the Barrow's Goldeneye is the best match I could find. Even the call sound. But, their range does not seen to be anywhere near us.

They used to be on TN river all time. We killed a few years ago.

As for appearance, the Hooded Merganser looks similar to the Golden Eye from a distance. They are somewhat common in Alabama and occupy the same spots that Woodies do. Don't know about the sounds of either since I don't think I have ever heard a Hooded Merganser calling. I usually don't shoot them because they are not good to eat. Download the Ducks Unlimited App, they have a great Waterfowl ID tool including sounds.

Extremely low chances it was a Barrows Goldeneye, plenty of common Goldeneyes in Alabama but I highly doubt it was a Barrows. What kind of noise was it making? As mentioned above it could have been hooded mergansers, but with the cool snap we just had its possible it could be anything!

If it was a pair of goldeneyes they were probably common goldeneyes, not barrows. We killed a common goldeneye hen opening morning in south AL.

Looks like redneck beat me to the punch.

After looking at more pics and knowing their ranges, it probably has to be a Hooded Merganser. I only got a quick look from directly below them. They had white bellies and a short neck. I thought a merganser had a longer neck but maybe not. Thanks for the info.

Red Breasted Mergs migrate through here and have longer necks. We've killed a few on the FL coast. Ugly looking ducks.

could've also been a ringneck or a scaup. They resemble a golden eye and can be killed locally.


Dr. B

Hooded merganser probably they frequent the same places as woodies.

That'd be my bet cause of the habitat.

We do get some out of the ordinary ducks around here though. We've killed several White Wing Scoters on Pickwick a few years back. A buddy seen 4 Eiders flying while he was doing the waterfowl count late season many years ago.

After the past few seasons I'm thinking ANY duck is a rarity.

I’ve seen a pair of barrows goldeneyes on crow creek refuge about 8 years ago.

we’ve killed oldsquaws and white winged scoters here. Other odd balls we don’t ever get here like specks and blue geese. I know two boys that wore a small flock of cinnamon teal out in late January after some big storms that hit. I figured they got blew off course.

Yes. Back in the late 80's and early 90's I killed them regularly.

I don't know how you guys put up with duck hunting (or lack of duck killing) in AL. I fished up above Scottsboro today. Up close to those duck hunting management areas. I didn't hear 20 shots all day.

I’ve shot a many of them, all commons, in the past. May have seen one or two Barrows shot in my life of hunting in Alabama. Hardest headed suckers out there, you’ve got to shoot them in the white patch on them head or you’ll be chasing cripples all day. I was fishing G last spring and had a big flock of scoters come and land near me. Used to kill a few cinnamon teal on the lake 25 yrs or so ago. Don’t even fool with lake anymore. Such rudeness these days, not worth getting my blood pressure up.