Bufflehead

Description: The bufflehead is a small, chubby duck with a large, puffy head, a steep forehead, and a short bill. The drake has a black head with a green-and-purple sheen. It has a white wedge-shaped patch behind the eyes wrapping around the back of the head, a black back, and white sides and belly. It has a blue-gray bill and pink feet and legs. The hen has a dark brown head with a small white patch on the side that starts behind the eyes. The back is dark brown with grayish sides; the belly is white. The legs and feet are gray, and the bill is dark gray. Average size: 13-16 inches. Average weight: ¾ to 1 ½ pounds.

Science: Bufflehead breed across much of Canada and into Alaska, though they may also be found in the northern Rockies and Cascades. They like small lakes, ponds, and slow-moving rivers in wooded areas. Their migration begins mid-October, when they form small groups that often mix with other diving ducks. Bufflehead prefer coastal bays, estuaries, large lakes, and rivers, and winter across most of the continental United States, with the exception of the northern states, and may be also found in Mexico. They feed mainly on fish and aquatic invertebrates, though they also eat aquatic plants. Their call consists of a series of squeaks, whistles, and low guttural noises. Their population is stable.

Hunting: Most bufflehead are taken incidentally by hunters seeking other diving ducks. The eating quality is fair: the meat is often strong-tasting.