My first association when I saw this duck was 'Goldeneye' (Bucephala clangula) - which turned out to be a very close relative. In the first photographs I took, the bird appeared black and white. But when I later photographed it in sunlight, like here in the wetlands of San Elijo, the female turned out to be brownish and the male shone in iridescent green and purple! This smallest duck in the United States actually breeds in the taiga of northernmost America, Alaska and Canada. But in winter it moves south and then occurs in almost the entire United States and northern Mexico. In freshwater it feeds mainly on insects, and in saltwater on crustaceans and mollusks. The bufflehead is believed to have adapted its size (13-16 in) to its "host species" the Northern flicker (Colaptes auratus) which is only slightly smaller (11-14 in) and which chops out burrows in aspens and other trees that the female bufflehead then lays her eggs in. She can also use larger cavities and nesting boxes - but then it turns out that the chances of a successful breeding are significantly reduced.