Buffleheads are among North America’s smallest diving ducks, and they often nest in old Northern Flicker holes. A male’s huge white patch wraps around the back of his dark head.

Appearance

Appearance
Males have a bright white body, a dark back, and a broad white patch behind the eye. Females are gray-brown with one small white cheek patch.

Look-alikes

Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula

A male Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) has a small round white spot in front of the eye; a male Bufflehead has a broad white patch behind it. Buffleheads are also smaller.

Why they get mixed upBoth are dark-headed diving ducks with white bodies.

Where it lives

Typical habitats
  • northern forest ponds
  • sheltered coastal bays
  • inland lakes
Range
They breed in Alaska, northern forests, and a few western U.S. areas. In winter, look along both U.S. coasts and on some inland waters.
Seasonal presence
Migratory across much of the United States.

Behavior

Diet
They dive for insects that live in water and shellfish.
Activity
They bob on the surface, then dive sharply to feed underwater.

Life cycle

Nest
Females often use old Northern Flicker cavities in trees; nest boxes also work.
Clutch size
4–17 eggs

Connected species

Nesting plants
  • Poplars and aspensPopulus

    In breeding areas, females usually choose tree cavities in poplars or aspens.

Conservation

IUCN Red List
LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
7 sources
  1. iNaturalist taxon API: Bucephala albeola
  2. Cornell: Bufflehead Identification
  3. Cornell: Bufflehead Life History
  4. Japanese Wikipedia: ヒメハジロ
  5. Cornell: Common Goldeneye Similar Species
  6. Notes on bird species newly recorded in Korea
  7. NIBR National Species List
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) — identification, habitat & look-alikes | Moeyo