From Opus

Breeding Male
Photo by Forcreeks
Marina Del Rey, California.

Bucephala albeola

[edit] Identification

32-40 cm
Male

• Glossy black head (can look blue, green or purple depending on the light) with large white patch
• Black back
• White breast, stomach, and flanks
• Bluish bill
  

Female

• Brown body
• Paler underparts
• Brown head
• White patch behind eye

[edit] Distribution

United States, Alaska and Canada. Winters to Mexico and Greater Antilles

[edit] Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species^[1].

[edit] Habitat

Small ponds and lakes with surrounding woodland. Winters on small ponds, lakes, and rivers inland, also in shallow bays and estuaries along the coasts.

Photo by CurtMorgan
Bearskin Neck, Rockport, Massachusetts, USA, January 2010

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Breeding

They nest in tree cavities. The 5-10 eggs are incubated for 28-33 days; the young fledge at 45-55 days.

[edit] Diet

The diet includes crustaceans, molluscs, aquatic plants and fish eggs. It feeds by submerging and obtaining food underwater.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
2. South Dakota Birds and Birding

• List of references

[edit] External Links