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Breeding Range. (Fig. 33). Uncommon and local in the Turtle Mountains (most numerous in Bottineau County); rare along the Mouse River in McHenry County within the J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge (Schroeder 1966).

Breeding Habitat. Fresh or slightly brackish semipermanent and permanent ponds and lakes that are bordered with extensive woodlands.

Nesting. Two Bufflehead eggs were found with four Hooded Merganser eggs in a metal duck-nesting box that was situated on a tree, 10-15 feet above the ground along the Mouse River on the J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge (R. J. King). Two active nests were found in the Turtle Mountains of Bottineau County in 1967 (R. E. Stewart, Jr.). One nest found on June 6 contained 12 eggs and was located in an old flicker nest hole in a dead tree about 12 feet above the ground and 30 feet from a lake shore. The other nest found on June 13 was located in an old flicker nest hole in a dead tree about 25 feet above the ground and 100 feet from a lake shore. Extreme dates of dependent young (28 broods): June 15 [1969] to August 15 [1969] in Bottineau County (R. E. Stewart, Jr.). Young birds that could fly were recorded in the Turtle Mountains in July 1873 (Coues 1878).

The number of young ducklings in eleven broods that were recorded in the Turtle Mountains in 1970 ranged from 4 to 16 and averaged 7.6 (R. E. Stewart, Jr.).

Figure 33. Breeding Range of Bufflehead.