bufflehead

[buhf-uhl-hed]

noun

1. a small North American duck, Bucephala albeola, the male of which has bushy head plumage.

bufflehead

/ ˈbʌfəlˌhɛd /

noun

1. Also called: butterball. a small North American diving duck, Bucephala (or Glaucionetta ) albeola : the male has black-and-white plumage and a fluffy head

Other Word Forms

• buffleheaded adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bufflehead¹

1855–60, buffle ( buff ¹ ) + head

Word History and Origins

Origin of bufflehead¹

C17 buffle from obsolete buffle wild ox (see _buff ¹ ), referring to the duck's head

Example Sentences

Potential bird sightings include gadwalls and buffleheads, dazzling ducks like the common goldeneye and the red-breasted merganser and tons of gulls, including the laughing gull and the ring-billed gull.

Read more on New York Times

In addition to Canada geese and mallards, in recent weeks Birky Pond has hosted hooded mergansers, bufflehead, redhead ducks, canvasbacks, northern shovelers, scaup and ring-necked ducks, to name a few.

Read more on Washington Times

“It was all different species - mostly bluebills, but there were mallards, buffleheads, teal. It must have been an epic migration.”

Read more on Washington Times

“It was all different species — mostly bluebills, but there were mallards, buffleheads, teal. It must have been an epic migration.”

Read more on Seattle Times

And, in fact some swimmers do come in the winter: buffleheads, ring-necked ducks, mergansers and other waterfowl visiting from the north.

Read more on New York Times