Bufflehead

Scientific Name: Bucephala albeola

Classification: Order: Anseriformes; Family: Anatidae

Bufflehead

Brief Description

Small, active diving ducks with large, rounded heads. They are constantly diving for food and are known for their energetic take-offs from the water surface.

Additional Information

  • Region of Origin: North America. Breeds primarily in the boreal forests of Canada and Alaska; winters along both coasts and across the southern United States and Mexico.
  • Typical Sighting Period: Late fall through early spring in wintering grounds; late spring through summer in northern breeding grounds.
  • Plumage Details: Adult males (the rightmost bird) have a large white patch on the back of the head, contrasting with a dark iridescent (purple-green) head, a white breast, and black back. Females (the two birds on the left) are mostly drab gray-brown with a distinct oval white patch on the cheek.
  • Ecological Significance: They help control aquatic insect and crustacean populations and serve as prey for raptors like Bald Eagles. They are secondary cavity nesters, relying on old Northern Flicker holes.
  • Conservation Status: Least Concern (IUCN); population trend is currently increasing.
  • Observation Tips: Look for them in sheltered bays, estuaries, and small ponds. They are very active; if you lose sight of one, it has likely just dived and will resurface nearby within 15-25 seconds.

Size & Weight

Length: 32-40 cm; Wingspan: 55 cm; Weight: 270-450 g. One of the smallest diving ducks in North America.

Diet

Aquatic invertebrates (crustaceans, mollusks, insects) and some seeds or vegetation, found by diving underwater.

Habitat

Breeds near small lakes and ponds in boreal forests; winters in sheltered coastal waters, estuaries, and inland lakes/rivers.

Migration

Migratory. They move from northern boreal forests to southern and coastal North America as waters freeze.

Voice (Call & Song)

Usually silent, but males make a squeaky, high-pitched growling 'kew-err' during courtship; females make a soft 'quack'.

Nesting & Breeding

Cavity nesters. They almost exclusively use abandoned holes of the Northern Flicker in trees near water. Clutch size is typically 6-11 eggs.

Key Field Marks

Small size; disproportionately large 'puffy' head; male has a large white wedge on the head; female has a small white oval on the cheek below the eye.

Similar Species

Hooded Merganser (male has a black border on the crest and a thin bill); Barrow's Goldeneye (larger with a crescent-shaped white face patch).

Interesting Facts

The Bufflehead is the only North American duck that is small enough to fit inside the nesting cavity made by a Northern Flicker. They are highly monogamous, often staying with the same mate for several years.