Hooded Merganser
Scientific Name: Lophodytes cucullatus
Category: bird
Brief Description
A small diving duck with a distinctively shaped head, often seen in quiet forested ponds and wetlands.
Characteristics
Small duck with a thin, serrated bill. Non-breeding males and females (shown here) have cinnamon-brown crests, grayish-brown bodies, and yellow eyes. Breeding males have a large, fan-like white crest bordered in black.
Habitat
Quiet, shallow bodies of water like forested ponds, swamps, and rivers; they nest in tree cavities.
When to Find It
Commonly seen year-round in much of the US; some migrate to ice-free waters in winter.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (Population is stable or increasing)
Ecological Role
A secondary cavity nester that helps regulate populations of small fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Easily Confused With
Common Mergansers and Red-breasted Mergansers. Hooded Mergansers are much smaller and have a more rounded, bushy crest.
Observation Tips
Look for them in secluded wooded wetlands. They are shy and will often dive or swim away when approached.
Interesting Facts
They are the only merganser species unique to North America. They have specialized third eyelids (nictitating membranes) that act like goggles to help them see underwater.