The Common goldeneye is one of the most important game birds in Finland. Common goldeneye male has a black head which in sunlight glitters metallic green and its body is black and white. Below the eye it has a clearly visible circular white patch. Female is more modest in appearance. It has a brown head, grey body and a white circle around the neck. Both genders have golden-yellow eyes.

Common goldeneyes live along all kinds of water systems. The wide range of the species includes North America, Europe and Asia. Common goldeneye spends winters in the central and southern parts of Europe and in the spring it is one of the first species to return to Finland.

Finnish national epic Kalevala starts with the story where the earth is born out of the Common goldeneye’s eggs. Because of the creation myths it was featured in, Common goldeneye was a greatly valued species in the old days. Catching a Common goldeneye as a first catch was believed to bring good luck for novice hunters.

Common goldeneye is a hole-nesting species. It also likes to nest in the nesting boxes made for the species. If there are no suitable nest holes available near water, Common goldeneye can also nest further away from the water in forest. Common goldeneye benefits from the protection of waterfront forests because it makes it easier for them to find suitable nesting holes near water. Adding the amount of the deadwood in the forests also benefits the species. It can use cavities in decayed trees and holes made by a Black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) for nesting.