Birds Bufflehead drake in flight

[Merlinator]

Went to a local pond not far from home and almost got a shot I've been after for a while. While not perfect I think these are my best shots of this small duck.

 

[Unframed Dave]

What does the name refer to?

 

[iamdlewis]

What does the name refer to?

Drake = male
Hen = female

 

[Unframed Dave]

Drake = male
Hen = female

Thanks, it was the buffelhead part I was querying.

 

[THXGEEK]

What a strange coincidence!

...my middle name is 'Bufflehead'.

 

[iamdlewis]

Thanks, it was the buffelhead part I was querying.

It is best to just accept the bird names rather than to try and understand them.
Examples:
Why are these birds call Hook-billed Hermit and Bronzy Hermit when they clearing should trade names?
White-necked Jacobin has no part of its neck white in color variation this bird comes in.
Common Scoter has more black and is found in fewer regions than the Black Scoter.
Ring-necked Duck is the only duck in the world that has a white ring that circles the bill but it is named after the nearly invisible brown ring on its neck.
Why is any bird named "Common" because there is going to be someplace in which they are not?

 

[Unframed Dave]

I have a curious disposition.

 

[iamdlewis]

Started out that way too. At the beginning it was mostly fine for my area. Then as I got deeper into it birds like the American Redstart, which is black and orange, started to raise so questions. Then the Yellow-Billed Cuckoo which has a bill that only the lower part is yellow unlike 5 other cuckoos that have both halves yellow. The previously mentioned Ring Necked Duck started to convince me the naming committee was just playing games at times. Travel introduced me to the European Goldfinch which in any other bird type would be a Red-Face/Fronted/Masked Finch. The European Robin is nothing like the American Robin, these are not even the same type of bird (American should have Thrush in the name).

 

[Merlinator]

What does the name refer to?

• "Buffalo-Head" Origin: The name is derived from a shortened version of "buffalo-headed".
• Male Appearance: The male has a large, white patch on the back of its head that makes it appear even more disproportionately large and rounded.
• Scientific Name Reference: Their genus name, Bucephala (from the Greek bucephala), translates to "bullheaded" or "buffalo-head".
• Buffalo-Head Appearance: The large, rounded, and often puffed-up head of the male resembles the head of a buffalo.
• Contraction of Name: "Buffle" is an old variant of "buffalo," making the name literally "buffalo-head".
• Disproportionate Size: It is one of the smallest diving ducks in North America, making its large, puffy head, with a,large white patch (on males) or a small white cheek patch (on females), appear even more pronounced.