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Glite Dictionary
Bucephela albeola

Bucephela albeola

9.9
A small North American diving duck whose male has a round head with a white patch
  • noun
  • /ˈbjuːsəˌfɛlə ˌælˈbiːoʊlə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : bufflehead
  • A male Bucephela albeola displays a striking white patch on its head during mating season.

Examples

  • The Bucephela albeola prefers to nest in tree cavities near ponds or small lakes.

  • Birdwatchers were thrilled to spot several Bucephela albeola on the lake this morning.

  • The Bucephela albeola is known for its striking appearance.

  • Have you ever seen a Bucephela albeola in the wild?

  • Birdwatchers were thrilled to spot several Bucephela albeola on the lake this morning.

  • A male Bucephela albeola displays a striking white patch on its head during mating season.

  • The Bucephela albeola prefers to nest in tree cavities near ponds or small lakes.

Synonyms

butterball
vsBucephela albeola
  • US
3 9.7

A small North American diving duck with a round head and bushy feathers

is the scientific name rather than this alternate common name
bufflehead
vsBucephela albeola
  • US
1 9.9

A small diving duck with a large white patch on the head

is the scientific name used instead of the common name
dipper
vsBucephela albeola
  • US
9.0

A small North American duck with a bushy head that dives underwater

is the scientific name while this is a common or informal label

Surface Forms

Bucephela albeola singular
Bucephela albeolas plural

Morphology

Bucephela + albeola

This is a Latin binomial (scientific name) whose parts are not English words in the provided dictionary, so a B1 learner who 'knows' the constituents would not be able to deduce the common meaning ‘a small diving duck’. Taxonomic Latin names function as arbitrary labels rather than compositional English MWEs, making the meaning non‑derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Bucephela albeola may come from old words, with Bucephela showing 'bull head' and albeola meaning 'small white'. This gives a clear picture of the small diving duck whose male has a puffy head and a bright white patch, so the name fits the bird today.