They dance on the water. They duck and dive like penguins. They stand up as if on waterskies. Their large fluffy heads and distinct markings make them stand out among other harbor birds. Who are these unique visitors we see in Ventura during the winter months?
They are buffleheads, their scientific name being bucephala albeola (bull-headed in Latin). As birds with a big bull-like head, they’re actually ducks of the golden-eye variety. Ducks can be divided into two categories: the dabbling duck and the diving duck, the second of which the bufflehead belongs. The bufflehead is the smallest diving duck in North America.
The tiny (13” to 16” long) Bufflehead spends winters bobbing in bays, estuaries, reservoirs, and lakes. Males are striking black-and white from a distance. A closer look at the head shows an iridescent green and purple setting off the striking white patch. Females are a subdued gray-brown with a sharp white patch on the cheek. Bufflehead nest in old woodpecker holes, particularly those made by Northern Flickers, in the forests of northern North America…