Bufflehead
Bucephala albeola
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAnseriformes (Waterfowl)
- FamilyAnatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)
- GenusBucephala (Goldeneyes and Bufflehead)
- SpeciesBucephala albeola (Bufflehead)
About the Bufflehead
The bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) is a small sea duck of the genus Bucephala, the goldeneyes. It breeds in Alaska and Canada and migrates in winter to southern North America. This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae as Anas albeola.
The bufflehead was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Anas albeola. Linnaeus based his account on the "little black and white duck" that had been described in 1747 by the English naturalist George Edwards in the second volume of his A Natural History of Uncommon Birds. Edwards examined a specimen from Newfoundland provided by the archivist George Holmes (archivist), the deputy Keeper of Records in the Tower of London. Linnaeus specified the type locality as America, but this has been restricted to Newfoundland following Edwards. The bufflehead is now placed with two goldeneye species in the genus Bucephala that was introduced in 1858 by the American naturalist Spencer Baird. The genus name is derived from Ancient Greek βουκέφαλος bouképhalos, 'bullheaded', from boûs 'bull', and kephalḗ... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Bufflehead in Isle Royale National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Isle Royale National Park
Common Goldeneye
Bucephala clangula
Common Merganser
Mergus merganser
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serrator
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Trumpeter Swan
Cygnus buccinator
Hooded Merganser
Lophodytes cucullatus
American Black Duck
Anas rubripes
Canvasback
Aythya valisineria
Ring-necked Duck
Aythya collaris
Lesser Scaup
Aythya affinis
Blue-winged Teal
Spatula discors
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Bufflehead in Isle Royale National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Bufflehead sighting in Isle Royale National Park, based on 41 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Bufflehead in Isle Royale National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Bufflehead in Isle Royale National Park in our monthly data.