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Bufflehead

Bucephala albeola

Least Concern

Envergure

32,2 cm

Poids

400,5 g

Famille

Anatidae

Ordre

Anseriformes

À propos

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
Envergure	32,2 cm	12.7 in
Poids	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

🌿 Wetland 🏖️ Coastal

Répartition géographique

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.

Statut de conservation

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Comportement et reproduction

Nidification

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

Taille de la couvée

5-14

Son

Chant

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.

Taxonomie

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Ordre	Anseriformes (Waterfowl)
Famille	Anatidae (Ducks, Geese & Swans)
Genus	Bucephala
Espèces	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. #}

Présent Not recorded

countries highlighted

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

External Databases

Foire aux 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.