Bufflehead

Bufflehead ( Bucephala albeola ), male

The Bufflehead ( Bucephala albeola ) is a species of bird in the family Anatidae ( Anatidae ) and belongs to the subfamily of Anatinae here. The closely related to the Common Goldeneye Bufflehead is found only in North America. With the Common Goldeneye, it has many similarities in physique and behavior. But it is considerably smaller than this and is about the height of a teal.

Distribution and habitat

Distribution area of ​​the Bufflehead is the northern part of the North American continent. In summer, during the breeding season, the species is exclusively represented north and inland. It occurs in this period in central Alaska, the Northwest Territories and the territory of the Yukon and to the north of Quebec. Apart from Alaska she breeds only in the west in the far Northern access some U.S. states. In winter it is along the entire coast of the USA, Western Canada and Southern Alaska and found only in the southern inland of the USA and Mexico. Domestically, preferably shallow lakes and ponds are inhabited in the immediate vicinity of large forests. The decisive factor for colonization by Bufflehead ducks is not only a presence of small and vegetation- free waters with shallow shores. You will also need a mixed forest near the water. The open tundra is, however, shunned by these breeds of ducks. The winter is spent on large, ice-free as possible lakes in the area of the estuaries and the coast.

Appearance

The physique of the Bufflehead is strongly reminiscent of the diving ducks. With 33 to 40 cm body length and a weight of 330 to 450 g, the type is among the smallest representatives of sea ducks and mergansers and the smallest ducks at all. The total bit stronger than the females acting male wearing a shimmering black on the back and white on the flanks and on belly and rump feathers. The forehead, the game before the eyes and the neck are covered with feathers like the back of iridescent black, the feathers can purple depending on the light or shine greenish. The back of the head and the sides of the head are covered with feathers white. The beak is pale gray with black lace, dark brown iris. The females are inconspicuous as feathered males. They are characterized by a more brown gray feathered back, feathered gray flanks and rump and a faded white feathered breast and tummy. The head of the female is brown in color, at the head end is a beginning below the eye white spot. Iris and beak are similar to those of the male, but the beak often appears slightly darker gray. Young birds resemble adult females, but are brown feathered total of more and show a significantly smaller white patch on the sides of the head. The legs of the Bufflehead are colored orange pink and put not quite as far to the rear third of the body as in the relatives of the genus Bucephala. The short, wide auffächerbaren tail feathers are used to control during the dive.

Breeding behavior

The breeding season begins in April and May, the pairs breeding buffalo head ducks lay 5-12 eggs in a breeding cave, often an abandoned woodpecker hole near a body of water. After an incubation time of 29 to 31 days the upper side slip with brown, lower side covered with white down young birds. They fledge after 50 to 55 days.

Food

Notably, there is the food of the buffalo head duck captured from diving, aquatic invertebrates living, rarely small fish are taken. A part of the energy demand will be covered by the inclusion of plant foods, especially seeds.

Swell

• Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott, Jordi Sargatal: Handbook of the birds of the world, Volume 1, Ostrich to Ducks. - Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, ​​1992, ISBN 84-87334-10-5.