Photo and text by Dr. Gary Grantham

Bufflehead

(Bucephala albeola)

The Bufflehead is a small diving duck with a big head and a tiny bill.  It is a frequent visitor to the Los Peñasquitos Lagoon from November through March.  The smallest of the sea ducks, it is a fast flier, commonly traveling close to the water in small compact groups.  A diminutive diver that looks for all the world like a toy duck.  In the fall it is generally very fat and sometimes called “butterball”.  The adult male has a white “scarf” on a round black head.  The adult female has a gray head with a white ear spot.