the bird of the day is: the bufflehead!

the bufflehead is a small sea duck and member of the goldeneye family that is native to north america.

buffleheads are well known for their small size and head which appears to be too large for its body. buffleheads nest in tree cavities left behind by northern flickers, and it’s been suggested their small size evolved just for this purpose.

buffleheads are sexually dimorphic and easy to tell apart. like many female ducks, the female bufflehead is primarily brown. in contrast, the male has a bright, partially iridescent head, and is mostly white and black.

buffleheads feed off of insects, crustaceans, and small fish. they have also been found to feed off of plants and fish eggs.

buffleheads live in small flocks. one member of the flock is selected as a lookout to keep other flock members safe while feeding.

unfortunately, the bufflehead has suffered recently from habitat loss. they are still rated least concern by the iucn, as their numbers have stayed relatively high. hopefully steps are taken to protect the bufflehead’s habitat, and their populations stay healthy and stable.

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