Bufflehead

Bufflehead
	Male
	Female
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Anseriformes
Family:	Anatidae
Genus:	Bucephala
Species:	B. albeola
Binomial name
	Bucephala albeola; (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
	Anas albeola Linnaeus, 1758; Charitonetta albeola (Linnaeus, 1758);

The bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) is a small sea duck of the genus Bucephala, the goldeneyes. This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae as Anas albeola.^[2]

The genus name is derived from ancient Greek boukephalos, "bullheaded", from bous, "bull", and kephale, "head", a reference to the oddly bulbous head shape of the species. The species name albeola is from Latin albus, "white".^[3] The English name is a combination of buffalo and head, again referring to the head shape.^[4] This is most noticeable when the male puffs out the feathers on the head, thus greatly increasing the apparent size of the head.

^ BirdLife International (2016). "Bucephala albeola". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22680462A92863192. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22680462A92863192.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
^ Linnaeus, C (1758). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I (in Latin). Holmiae. (Laurentii Salvii). p. 124. A. alba, dorso remigibusque nigris, capite caerulescente, occipite albo.
^ Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 38, 79. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
^ Fergus, Charles (2004). Wildlife of Virginia and Maryland and Washington DC. Stackpole Books. p. 166. ISBN 0-8117-2821-8.

[iucn_status_19_November_2021-1] BirdLife International (2016). "Bucephala albeola". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22680462A92863192. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22680462A92863192.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.

[2] Linnaeus, C (1758). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I (in Latin). Holmiae. (Laurentii Salvii). p. 124. A. alba, dorso remigibusque nigris, capite caerulescente, occipite albo.

[job90-3] Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 38, 79. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.

[Fergus-4] Fergus, Charles (2004). Wildlife of Virginia and Maryland and Washington DC. Stackpole Books. p. 166. ISBN 0-8117-2821-8.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]