• American Camp prairie and Mount Finlayson.

    San Juan Island

    National Historical Park Washington

  • American Camp Visitor Center on Daily Schedule

    The American Camp visitor center will be open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., daily through Friday, June 2. Grounds are open sunrise to 11 p.m. The English Camp visitor center opens June 2. Grounds are open 8 a.m. to sunset. More »

Bufflehead duck

Bufflehead ducks on Griffin Bay, San Juan Island.
Buffle head ducks cavort in the sparkling waters of Griffin Bay off Jakle's Lagoon at American Camp.
Jim Bourke
 

These plump little divers are the smallest ducks in North America. The males are easy to identify, with their round, puffy heads and steep foreheads. They’re mostly iridescent black-green with a large snow-white patch at the back of the neck.

The females are dull gray-brown and have small, oval white cheek patches. They winter in small flocks and dive for small fishes, crabs and barnacles. You may hear them before you see them. When they take off, they skitter along the surface on swift wing-beats.

 
Fast facts Bufflehead
  • Bird Checklist Bird Checklist

    San Juan Island NHP's bird checklist reflects the wide range of species passing through each year. Read More

Did You Know?

Capt. Geoffrey Phipps Hornby, RN

Capt. Geoffrey Phipps Hornby of HMS Tribune refused Governor James Douglas’s orders to land Royal Marines on San Juan Island realizing that his opposite, Capt. George Pickett, would open fire.  The policy of the Royal Navy was only to fire if fired upon. More...