Bufflehead Duck Facts- Unique Nesting Behaviours- WIldlife Education Series

The Bufflehead is North America’s smallest diving duck. In French it is called the Pettit Garrot and in Spanish the Pato chillon chico. As a diving duck they dive from the waters surface. The Bufflhead Duck Bucephala albeola  has a showy snow white crest and small light grey bill. The back and sides of the males head has attractive iridescent dark purple green patches, which appear to glisten in the sun. The female is dark brown for the most part with a gray underbelly. Like the male, the females face has a small white patch. Their closest relatives are the Common Golden Eye Duck. The Bufflehead measures 12 to 16 inches in length and has a 21 inch wingspan. Both sexes are approximately the same size and weigh a mere 10-22 oz.

Buffleheads migrate to the United States during winter months just prior to freezing temperatures. During the winter months they inhabit salt water, lakes and rivers. During the spring and throughout the summer and fall moths they inhabit the forested regions of Western Canada through to the North-western United States and Canada. The Bufflehead’s diet consists of insects, mollusk, crustaceans and some seeds. They dive for food and swallow their food under water. They commonly breeding in small lakes and fresh water ponds, including forests inhabited by Northern Flickers. 

What makes this duck very unique is their nesting behavior. Buffleheads nest in nesting boxes and tree cavities lined with the downy feathers from the female’s chest. They frequently use the abandoned homes of Pileated Woodpeckers and Northern Flickers. Unlike most ducks the Bufflehead remains with the same mate for several years. Another unique characteristic of this species is the manner in which it they lay their eggs. Unlike most ducks that lay their eggs all at once, the Bufflehead lays their eggs at intervals every 2 to 3 days. The female lays 4 to 17 solid cream color eggs.

In the early 20^th century Bufflehead population declined due to hunting practices. Since then from the mid 1950’s to the late 1990’s Bufflehead populations more than doubled.

View an image the beautiful Buuflehead Duck

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