Bufflehead

General Description

Washington's smallest diving duck, the Bufflehead, is easily distinguished from other ducks. The male has a white underside and a dark back that appears black, but upon closer inspection, is actually a deep iridescent greenish-purple. At the back of the black head is a wedge of white. This mark distinguishes the Bufflehead from the larger goldeneyes, which have white in front of their eyes. The smaller female is a drab, brownish, dusty-black with white ear- and wing-patches.

Buffleheads are Abundant in Western Washington from October-May.

Habitat

Buffleheads' breeding habitat is small lakes and ponds in boreal forests with nearby stands of poplar and aspen. In the winter, they are most often found in coastal areas in shallow bays and inlets.

Behavior

Aggressive and monogamous during the breeding season, Buffleheads sometimes keep the same mate, and often the same nest, for several years. Females almost always return to their hatch-sites to breed. Territorial disputes between females with young often end up with the winning female going away with more or perhaps all of the young. Buffleheads have numerous elaborate courtship displays that they perform throughout the year, except during the post-breeding molt and in the early fall.

Female

Male