Bufflehead

Description:

The bufflehead is small, diving duck with a small dark gray bill. The males are mostly white, but have a black back and head. The male has a large white patch extending from the eye to the back of the head. The male is slightly larger than the female. The female is dark brown and is lighter brown below. The female has a single white patch on her cheek (pic3).

Habitat:

Spotted in estuary waters of the Nisqually river at the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. Their breeding habitat is wooded lakes and ponds in Alaska and Canada, almost entirely included in the boreal forest or taiga habitat. They nest in cavities in trees, often using old Flicker or Pileated Woodpecker nests.

Notes:

They are migratory and most of them winter in protected coastal waters, or open inland waters, on the east and west coasts of North America and the southern United States. Buffleheads usually are seen in small groups. As one or two feed, the others will stand watch for potential danger. While a flock is diving for food there is almost always at least one bird on the surface watching for danger.