Bufflehead

duck · small · ocean · migratory

Smallest sea duck. The bufflehead is one of the tiniest sea ducks in North America, much smaller than most other ducks you might see. It's perfectly built for diving into the water to catch fish and other food.

Travels between continents. These ducks breed in the chilly waters of Alaska and Canada during summer, then fly thousands of miles south to warmer parts of North America when winter arrives. This amazing journey happens every single year.

Fancy and colorful. Male buffleheads have striking black and white heads with a puffy shape that looks like they've just had the best hair day ever, while females are more gray and brown. The sparkly white patches on the males are extra showy.

Named by a famous scientist. Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish scientist, officially described the bufflehead in 1758 in his important book about living things. It was one of thousands of animals he helped name using his special system.

Expert divers and swimmers. Buffleheads are built for life in the water with legs set far back on their bodies, making them amazing swimmers and divers. They can disappear underwater super fast to escape danger or find food.