Bufflehead Photo Gallery
Male
Small duck with large head and short bill. Large white patch on head, dark back, and white chest and flanks are visible from long distances. Purple-green iridescence on head can be hard to see.
© Liron Gertsman | Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, November 21, 2015Female
Small brownish duck with large, rounded head and a distinctive, single white patch on the cheek.
© Tony V | Macaulay LibraryWashington, November 09, 2016Breeding male
Buffleheads forage for aquatic insects, crustaceans, and molluscs by diving staying submerged for about 13 seconds and consuming prey underwater.
© Matthew D. Medler | Macaulay LibraryNew York, April 06, 2014Not all videos have soundMale
Small duck with distinctive flight pattern: dark upperparts crossed by white stripes at the shoulder and in the wings.
© Jay McGowan | Macaulay LibraryNew York, April 07, 2016Immature male
Small duck with large head and single white cheek patch.
© S. K. Jones | Macaulay LibraryTennessee, May 11, 2017Breeding male and females
Usually forms small to medium-sized flocks during the nonbreeding season.
© Timothy Barksdale | Macaulay LibraryMissouri, January 20, 1997Not all videos have soundFemale
Small brownish duck with large, rounded head and a distinctive, single white patch on the cheek.
© Daniel Jauvin | Macaulay LibraryQuebec, April 21, 2017Female
May occur in flocks. Female lacks male's large white wingstripe, but has a smaller white wing patch sometimes visible at rest.
© John Reynolds | Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, February 12, 2017Breeding male and female
Buffleheads require a running start when taking flight off water, but can achieve this over a shorter distance than most other duck species due to their small size.
© Timothy Barksdale | Macaulay LibraryMissouri, January 20, 1997Not all videos have soundFlock
Small duck with fast wingbeats. In flight, female lacks male's shoulder stripes and large white wing stripe, but has a smaller white wing patch sometimes visible at rest.
© Sharif Uddin | Macaulay LibraryHawaii, January 31, 2017Breeding male
Buffleheads perform self-maintenance activities on the water such as preening, stretching, and bathing.
© Timothy Barksdale | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 01, 1997Not all videos have soundHabitat
Fairly common on lakes, ponds, and coastal waters.
© Tim Lenz | Macaulay LibraryNew York, April 02, 2017Species in This Family
Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl(Order: Anseriformes, Family: Anatidae)
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