Fauna Flora Photography

Bufflehead Bucephala albeola

A small sea duck only passing the Montreal area from their winter habitat, protected coastal or inland waters to the breeding areas in the tundra and boreal forests. This species dives for food which mostly consists of aquatic insects, crustacean and mollusks.

Specs

Length30-36cm
Weight200-450g
Wingspan51-56cm

Common Names

GermanBüffelkopfente
EnglishBufflehead
FrenchPetit Garrot
SpanishPorrón coronado

Taxonomy

OrderAnseriformes
FamilyAnatidae
SpeciesBucephala albeola

How to Identify

A beautiful bird. The male has colorful feathers front of the head and a large white patch on the back male. Females brownish, dark grey on the back and light grey breast and belly with a white patch on the cheek.

Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) - Parc des Rapides - 2019-04-14
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) - Parc des Rapides - 2017-04-14

Where and When to Spot

I saw this species only during a short period of time in early April in Rapids Park Lachine.

SpringSummerFallWinter
Parc Angrignon x - - -
Parc de la Frayère x - - -

Where and when a species has been observed, identified, and recorded.

Last updated on 2024-03-14. Written and regularly updated by Karl-Heinz Müller, Dipl. Natw. ETH, Biology. With 10 years of experience in wildlife photography, Karl-Heinz shares first-hand, on-site collected observations, photos and videos from his frequent visits to parks in the Montreal area.