bufflehead

UK: /ˈbʌf^əlˌhɛd/ US: (buf′əl hed′)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

buf•fle•head  (buf′əl hed′), n. 

1. Birds a small North American duck, Bucephala albeola, the male of which has bushy head plumage.

• buffle (see buff¹) + head 1855–60, American.

buf′fle•head′ed, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

bufflehead / ˈbʌf^əlˌhɛd/ noun

1. a small North American diving duck, Bucephala (or Glaucionetta) albeola: the male has black-and-white plumage and a fluffy head

Etymology: 17th Century buffle from obsolete buffle wild ox (see buff¹), referring to the duck's head