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Breeding Range. (Fig.34). During recent years the North Dakota breeding population has been restricted to the Turtle Mountains, where it is limited to a few scattered pairs. Intensive studies in the Turtle Mountains were conducted in 1967 and 1968 on 60 random quarter sections (15 square miles), and the results indicated that only four breeding pairs were present on these sample units each year (R. E. Stewart, Jr.).

Formerly (prior to 1920), this species was a common breeding resident in the Turtle Mountains (H. V. Williams), on Devils Lake (V. Bailey, Bent 1925, Bryant 1895b, and Rolfe 1897c), and on Stump Lake in Nelson County (Bailey 1918c). During this early period, it was also found breeding on Sweetwater Lake in Ramsey County and Red Willow Lake in Griggs County (Bailey 1918a), and on Swan Lake in Nelson County (H. C. Oberholser). From 1935 to 1937, Common Goldeneyes were found nesting in the J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge near Upham in McHenry County (C. J. Henry).

At Devils Lake, Graham's Island was formerly called Whistler Island because of the large number of Common Goldeneyes that were nesting in the hollow trees there (Rolfe 1897c). Collections of eggs at Devils Lake include 3 sets taken in 1892 (Bryant 1894), 16 sets in 1895 (Bryant 1895b), 8 sets in 1896 (Rolfe 1897c) and 5 sets in 1901 (Bent 1925).

Breeding Habitat. Fresh and slightly brackish permanent lakes with extensive borders of woodland that contain large mature trees.

Nesting. Breeding season: Early May to early August; peak, mid-May to early July. Extreme egg dates (36 nests): May 2 [1895] in Ramsey County (Coon 1899) to late June [1898] in Benson County (Job 1902). In the Devils Lake area in 1898, sets of eggs were completed from about May 20 to the first of June (Job 1899). Extreme dates of dependent young (19 broods): June 18 [1916] in Benson County (V. Bailey) to July 29 [1967] in Rolette County (R. E. Stewart, Jr.). In 1898 in one colony in the Devils Lake area, most sets of eggs hatched from June 20 to June 25 (Job 1899).

Nests were situated in cavities of large, old trees (usually American elm or bur oak and occasionally box elder) that were located near lake margins. Rolfe (1897c) found that trunks of eight nest trees measured between 16 and 24 inches across. The height above the ground of 37 nest cavity openings, determined by various investigators, ranged from 2 to 35 feet and averaged 16 feet. According to information received by C. J. Henry in 1938, Common Goldeneyes at Lake Metigoshe in the Turtle Mountains, frequently entered the chimneys of cottages, and were occasionally found, both dead and alive, in the stoves of these cottages.

Indicated clutch size (13 nests): 7 to 16 eggs; mean, 11.2 eggs. Obvious dump nests, containing from 21 to 32 eggs also were recorded in the Devils Lake area during the early 1890's (Bryant 1895b).

Figure 34. Breeding Range of Common Goldeneye.