The Bufflehead ranges predominantly through boreal forests and aspen parklands of Canada and Alaska, with the highest density in British Columbia and Alberta. The Bufflehead is a small diving duck, with males at the upper end of the weight range and females at the lower end.
Buffleheads are compact, with a short neck and a short narrow grey bill.
The sexes are strongly dimorphic. Breeding males have a black head marked with purple and green, along with a black back and wings. They are white underneath, as well as having a white patch over their head from their eyes covering their ear region. They dive for their food, which they swallow while still underwater. Reproduction Unlike most ducks, Buffleheads form long term monogamous pair bonds.