Hooded Merganser Images, Facts and Information:
Lophodytes cucullatus
- Hooded Mergansers are small ducks, males in breeding plumage have chestnut flanks, black and white crests, serrated black bills, black necks, white chests with a black stripe and bright yellow eyes. Females have a brown crest, grayish flanks and breasts, serrated bills that are dark brown on top and darker yellow below and dull yellow to brownish eyes. Hooded Mergansers are the smallest mergansers in North America.
- Hooded Mergansers breed from Northern British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest through central and eastern Canada, the Great Lakes, to New England and into the Ohio River Valley. The winter south to Baja, Mexico and the Gulf Coast.
- Hooded Mergansers are migratory.
- Hooded Mergansers preferred habitats include swamps, ponds, rivers, small forest pools and beaver ponds.
- Hooded Mergansers eat aquatic insects, fish, crustaceans, snails, frogs, and aquatic plants.
- Hooded Mergansers lay 6 to 18 eggs which hatch in 32 to 33 days. The female incubates and they are monogamous. They are cavity nesters.
- A group of ducks can be called a “raft”, “paddling”, “flush” or “brace” of ducks.
- People often call Hooded Mergansers by the name “Hoodie”.
- Hooded Mergansers can live to be more than 14 years of age.
I hope you enjoy viewing my Hooded Merganser photos.
Urban drake Hooded Merganser
Title: Urban drake Hooded Merganser
Location: Salt Lake County, Utah
Date: 1/15/2024
Drake Hooded Merganser on an urban pond
Title: Drake Hooded Merganser on an urban pond
Location: Salt Lake County, Utah
Date: 1/15/2024
First winter Hooded Merganser after a dive
Title: First winter Hooded Merganser after a dive
Location: Salt Lake County, Utah
Date: 1/3/2023
First winter Hooded Merganser preening
Title: First winter Hooded Merganser preening
Location: Salt Lake County, Utah
Date: 12/17/2022
First winter Hooded Merganser on an urban pond
Title: First winter Hooded Merganser on an urban pond
Location: Salt Lake County, Utah
Date: 12/17/2022
Low light drake Hooded Merganser on the Bear River
Title: Low light drake Hooded Merganser on the Bear River
Location: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 2/10/2022
Great Egret watching Mallards and Hooded and Common Mergansers
Title: Great Egret watching Mallards and Hooded and Common Mergansers
Location: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 12/21/2021 […]
Female Hooded Merganser lifting off from the Bear River
Title: Female Hooded Merganser lifting off from the Bear River
Location: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 12/8/2021
Hooded Merganser and autumn reflections
Title: Hooded Merganser and autumn reflections
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 10/15/2021
Close up of a first winter drake Hooded Merganser
Title: Close up of a first winter drake Hooded Merganser
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 12/4/2020
Young male Hooded Merganser giving me the eye
Title: Young male Hooded Merganser giving me the eye
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 12/4/2020
First winter Hooded Merganser drake after drinking icy cold water
Title: First winter Hooded Merganser drake after drinking icy cold water
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 12/4/2020
Young male Hooded Merganser in his first winter
Title: Young male Hooded Merganser in his first winter
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 12/4/2020
First winter male Hooded Merganser on an icy pond
Title: First winter male Hooded Merganser on an icy pond
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 12/4/2020
Immature male Hooded Merganser
Title: Immature male Hooded Merganser
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 12/4/2020
First winter Hooded Merganser drake
Title: First winter Hooded Merganser drake
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 12/4/2020
Immature drake Hooded Merganser
Title: Immature drake Hooded Merganser
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 12/4/2020
Female Hooded Merganser portrait
Title: Female Hooded Merganser portrait
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 12/4/2020
Hooded Mergansers on an icy pond
Title: Hooded Mergansers on an icy pond
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 12/4/2020
Female Hooded Merganser on her side
Title: Female Hooded Merganser on her side
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 12/4/2020