Bufflehead

Male and female bufflehead swimming together on calm blue water, Manitoba

The bufflehead is a small, compact diving duck. The male has a large white patch on the back of a puffy, iridescent head, while the female is dark brown with a smaller white cheek patch, as in this pair.

Buffleheads nest in old woodpecker holes in trees and pass through Manitoba on migration, often diving for insects and small aquatic animals on open water.

The white patch on a male bufflehead’s head seems to glow against dark water, and it is the first thing I look for.

Curious about the bufflehead and its habitat? Learn more on its page at All About Birds.

Bufflehead Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the bufflehead in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the bufflehead nests and migrates, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the bufflehead in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Boreal Shield, the Taiga Shield, the Boreal Plains, and the Prairies (gold) and passing through the Hudson Plains in spring and fall (lilac). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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