Various crustaceans and mollusks were the 
predominant foods. Bait corn; the leaves, 
stems, rootstalks, and seeds of submerged 
plants; and small fish were commonly eaten 
in certain local areas. In the fresh estuarine 
bays (table 134), the principal foods were: 
the leaves, stems, rootstalks, and seeds of 
submerged plants, including sago pondweed, 
other pondweeds, naiad, and wildcelery; and 
a considerable variety of gastropod and pele- 
cypod mollusks, decapod crustaceans, small 
fish and insect larvae. Common Goldeneyes 
collected on brackish estuarine bays (table 
135) had fed chiefly on various animal foods, 
including mud crabs (Xanthidae), small fish, 
ribbed mussels (Volsella demissa), and other 
Species of small mollusks and crustaceans; 
fair amounts of bait corn, and the leaves, 
stems, and rootstalks of eelgrass and widg- 
eongrass also were taken. The principal foods 
in the salt estuarine bays (table 136) were 
bait corn and various crustaceans and mol- 
lusks, including mud crabs, bent mussels 
(Brachidontes recurvus), little surf clams (Mulinia 
lateralis), and amphipod crustaceans (Gamma- 
ridae), The two Common Goldeneyes collected 
in the coastal bays had fed on the Baltic 
macoma (Macoma balthica); the isopod crustacean 
Chiridotea coeca; amphipod crustaceans; and bait 
corn. 
BUFFLEHEAD 
Bucephala albeola (Linnaeus) 
Migrant and wintering Buffleheads occur in 
scattered small flocks throughout the open- 
water areas of the Upper Chesapeake region. 
Population estimates of Buffleheads and Com- 
mon Goldeneyes derived from aerial surveys 
were combined, because it was difficult to 
distinguish the two from the air, Results are 
discussed in the species account for Common 
Goldeneyes. The fall migration of Buffleheads 
usually takes place during the period from 
October 20-30 to December 10-20, with the 
peak between November 1 and November 30, 
The normal spring migration period extends 
from March 10-20 to April 20-30, with the 
peak between March 25 and April 15. 
Habitats 
The habitat distribution of Buffleheads is 
very similar to that of Common Goldeneyes. 
Migrant and wintering populations are dis- 
tributed throughout the various types of open 
estuaries in the Upper Chesapeake region 
(table 131), Brackish estuarine bays are the 
optimum habitat. Fairly large numbers of Buf- 
fleheads also occur on salt estuarine bays 
and on the coastal bays. During the fall flight 
in November, many occur on the fresh estua- 
rine bays. Small flocks occasionally are found 
56 
on interior impoundments during migration. 
There is some indication that in the tidewater 
areas Buffleheads habitually go farther up the 
small tributaries and inlets than do the Common 
Goldeneyes. 
Biogeographic Sections 
The combined population data for Buffle- 
heads and Common Goldeneyes are presented 
in detail in the species account for Common 
Goldeneyes and are shown in tables 132 and 
133, 
Food Habits 
The gullet and gizzard food contents of 25 
Buffleheads were examined. Data for 22 of 
these are shown in tables 137 and 138. Two 
others were collected on fresh estuarine 
bays of the Susquehanna Flats and Potomac 
River during March and October, and another 
was taken on the coastal bays during early 
March 
Various species of small crustaceans and 
mollusks were the predominant foods. Buffle- 
heads collected on the brackish estuarine bays 
(table 137) had fed chiefly on a considerable 
variety of crustaceans and mollusks; the pre- 
dominant species included barnacles (Balanus 
Sp.), mud crabs (Xanthidae), Baltic macomas 
(Macoma balthica), gem shells (Gemma gemma), and 
numerous other small pelecypod and gastropod 
mollusks, amphipod and isopod crustaceans, 
and other invertebrates. Smaller quantities of 
vegetable food included bait corn, and the 
leaves, stems, rootstalks, and seeds of widg- 
eongrass, claspingleaf pondweed, andeelgrass. 
The birds from the salt estuarine bays (table 
138) had fed entirely on small mollusks and 
crustaceans; the principal species included 
the little surf clam (Mulinia lateralis), the Baltic 
macoma (Macoma balthica), and amphipod crus- 
taceans (Garmmmaridae). 
The two Buffleheads collected on fresh 
estuarine bays had fed chiefly on gastropod 
mollusks, including Ozytrema virginica, Planorbis 
sp., and Amnicola sp.; on seeds of a pondweed 
and halberdleaf tearthumb; on leaves of wild- 
celery; and on mayfly larvae (Ephemeroptera), 
The Bufflehead collected in the coastal bays 
had fed entirely on the isopod crustacean 
Chiridotea coeca. 
Harvest Areas of Birds Banded in the Upper 
Chesapeake Region 
Data concerning harvest areas of Buffle- 
heads banded in the Kent Island area during 
the years 1953-58 came from 29 indirect re- 
coveries (table 139), All recoveries were of 
birds banded between January 23 and March 
30. A little more than two-thirds of the kill 
