They are recognized as the smallest diving ducks in North America. Their diet includes aquatic invertebrates, crustaceans, and mollusks, which they capture and consume underwater. During the breeding season, these birds vigorously defend their territories by attacking intruders—either in flight or by swimming underwater—and striking at them with their wings.
Art and fact by Cloude Shao, Instagram @cloude_paint
[Edited by Nicole Rodrigues]
Reference:
Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (n.d.). Bufflehead. All About Birds. Retrieved January 3, 2025, from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bufflehead/lifehistory#nesting