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Bufflehead

Bucephala albeola

Least Concern

Wingspan

32.2 cm

Weight

400.5 g

Family

Anatidae

Order

Anseriformes

About

North America's smallest diving duck (~400 g), family Anatidae, males iridescent purple-green with a large white head patch. Breeds in forested areas near ponds and lakes, nesting in woodpecker cavities; winters on coastal bays and inland waters. Feeds on aquatic invertebrates and small fish. Least Concern with stable populations.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Wingspan	32.2 cm	12.7 in
Weight	400.5 g	14.13 oz

Identification

Plumage

Male has iridescent green-purple head with a large triangular white patch from behind eye over crown; body clean white except for black back. Female is dark sooty-brown with a single small oval white cheek patch.

Habitat & Range

🏖️ Coastal 🌿 Wetland

Geographic Range

Breeds in boreal forest of western and central North America. Winters along both coasts and interior lakes from southern Canada south to Mexico.

Diet & Feeding

Dives for aquatic insects, crustaceans, and small molluscs in freshwater and coastal habitats. One of the smallest diving ducks.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: CV. Incubation: 28-33 days. Fledging: 50-55 days.

Clutch Size

5-14

Sound

Song

Male produces a soft, squeaky whistle; female gives a harsh, nasal quack. The male's thin, reedy whistle is barely audible; pairs exchange quiet contact calls at boreal forest ponds.

Taxonomy

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Order	Anseriformes (Waterfowl)
Family	Anatidae (Ducks, Geese & Swans)
Genus	Bucephala
Species	Bucephala albeola

Distribution

Bufflehead has been recorded in 12 countries.

{# Distribution Map — simplified SVG world map with highlighted countries. Expects `country_codes` variable: list of ISO alpha-2 codes (e.g. ["US", "CA", "MX"]). Uses Alpine.js to toggle classes on country paths. #}

Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇫🇮 Finland 🇫🇷 France 🇩🇪 Germany 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇱 Poland 🇪🇸 Spain 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 🇺🇸 United States

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Bufflehead eat?

Dives for aquatic insects, crustaceans, and small molluscs in freshwater and coastal habitats. One of the smallest diving ducks.

Where does the Bufflehead live?

Breeds in boreal forest of western and central North America. Winters along both coasts and interior lakes from southern Canada south to Mexico.

Is the Bufflehead endangered?

The Bufflehead has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the Bufflehead nest?

Nest type: CV. Incubation: 28-33 days. Fledging: 50-55 days.

What does the Bufflehead sound like?

Male produces a soft, squeaky whistle; female gives a harsh, nasal quack. The male's thin, reedy whistle is barely audible; pairs exchange quiet contact calls at boreal forest ponds.

How big is the Bufflehead?

The Bufflehead has a wingspan of 32.2 cm, weight of 400.5 g.

What order and family does the Bufflehead belong to?

The Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.