buffleheads
Small diving ducks
Buffleheads are small diving ducks native to North America, recognizable by the male's large puffy head with striking black and white plumage.
The name comes from "buffalo head," referring to the bird's oversized, rounded head shape.
They're among the smallest diving ducks, wintering on coastal waters and inland lakes: We spotted buffleheads bobbing in the harbor.
Waterfowl that submerges for food
- waterfowlSwimming birds collectively
- drakeMale waterfowl
- henFemale fowl
- goldeneyeAmber-eyed diving waterfowl
merganser · scaup · scoter · canvasback · redhead · sea duck · plumage · iridescent
Small freshwater bodies
- lakesLarge inland water bodies
- wetlandsWater-saturated terrain
- freshwaterNon-saline aquatic environment
- baysCoastal indentations or howls
estuaries · coastal waters · marshes · rivers · habitat · swimming · diving · paddling
Movement to new territory
- flywayEstablished bird migration path
- overwinterSurvive the cold season
- breeding groundsSites where species reproduce
- seasonalRecurring at fixed intervals
northward · southward · stopover · wintering · nesting · tree cavities · woodpecker holes · boreal forest
diving duck
Waterfowl that submerges for food
goldeneye · merganser · scaup · scoter · canvasback · redhead · sea duck · plumage · iridescent · black-and-white
ponds
Small freshwater bodies
- lakesLarge inland water bodies
- wetlandsWater-saturated terrain
- freshwaterNon-saline aquatic environment
bays · estuaries · coastal waters · marshes · rivers · habitat · swimming · diving · paddling · surface
migration
Movement to new territory
- flywayEstablished bird migration path
- overwinterSurvive the cold season
- breeding groundsSites where species reproduce
seasonal · northward · southward · stopover · wintering · nesting · tree cavities · woodpecker holes · boreal forest · Alaska
small
Limited in size
- diminutiveVery small, or nickname form
- stockyShort and solidly built
- chunkyThick and lumpy
squat · stubby · round · dense · buoyant · agile · quick · darting