The "Snowbird" of Hilton Head

Our 2019 Blog is kicking off with a fun migratory bird to Hilton Head. The Bufflehead duck can be seen this time of year in our local waters. This is one of the many birds that you may see along the edges of Broad Creek during our Dolphin and Nature Tour. They tend to be along the sides of the waterways near the marsh grass. They are a migratory diving duck and are part of the water fowl category. They are one of the smallest diving ducks of North America. Buffleheads are about 12-15 inches long and weigh about 1 pound. Adult males have a black back with a white body, they have a large dark head with a large white patch that wraps around the back of the head. Adult females and immature males, (before a year old) are grey and brown with an oval shaped patch on their cheeks.

The primary diet of a bufflehead is aquatic insects, crustaceans and mollusks, they will also eat a small amount of seeds when needed. Due to their small size they are eating almost constantly to help maintain their body temperature. Diving is the main way they get their food and typically swallow it whole. The dives can last 12-25 seconds in length. Bufflehead breed in the north in the spring and are monogamous animals. They can lay around 8-14 eggs and typically return to the same area every year to breed. They make their nests in tree cavities made primarily by the northern flicker. While migrating down the coast buffleheads prefer more protected salt and brackish waters. Come on out on our tour to see these beautiful birds while they are still here!