The majority of wintering hooded mergansers occur in the Mississippi Flyway. There are no other ducks in my area that look anything like these ducks, so identification is never a problem. Gray pervades their neck, chest, sides and flanks, and brownish-black dominates their back, rump and tail. It was fascinating to see how he would extend his neck, arch his back, and then plunge into the water. To be successful with this species you will need to provide The top of the head, neck and back are all black, and the chest, breast and belly are white. The oldest recorded Hooded Merganser was a male and at least 14 years, 6 months old when he was shot in Mississippi in 2009. Of the three species of mergansers occurring in North America, the hooded merganser is the only one restricted to the continent. Saying no will not stop you from seeing Etsy ads, but it may make them less relevant or more repetitive. After that, the male leaves the female to incubate and care for the brood. I was really happy to spot a Hooded Merganser couple on Thursday in a suburban pond near where I live. Bird Watching Academy & Camp Subscription Boxes. Small duck; feeds by diving to catch mainly fish with thin, serrated bill. The drakes are a striking combination of black, white and redish brown. Breeding season is in early spring and they will Hooded Mergansers do not breed until their second year, and The © 2012-20. Afterwards, the little duck spent a considerable amount of time adjusting the feathers with his bill, presumably to maximize their insulation value on a cold winter day. Birding Virginia Beach These birds are interesting and entertaining to watch Some of the technologies we use are necessary for critical functions like security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and to make the site work correctly for browsing and transactions. The Hooded Merganser is a distinctively plumaged member of the sawbill group and a native to North America. This duck appeared to be the only member of his species at the pond, so he was not distracted by having to show off for the females. The upper bill is black-edged with orange and the lower bill is yellow. Males use their crest in courtship rituals and displays. and a native to North America. courtship rituals and displays. The male’s outstanding feature is the black and white fan shaped crest that gives the bird its name sake. Their body is covered in rick chestnut flanks. Females and immatures are gray … well with a small wading pool that may be adequate for many other ducks. 5 Comments », During the winter, there are fewer wildlife subjects to photograph than at other times of the year, so I find myself paying a lot of attention to each and every one. from our hens. You might have to try the approach of this male Hooded Merganser duck (Lophodytes cucullatus), who rose out of the water and flapped his wings to dry off and fluff his feathers. In this case, though, I really liked the V-shaped wake that the duck was leaving behind it, so I put the “Hoodie” just to the right of center. This is one species that will not do Hooded mergansers prefer forested wetland systems, where they nest in tree cavities or nest boxes and lay an average of 9-11 eggs. Learn more. to rear, and are often "wet brooded" which means they are given treat. The adult male Hooded Merganser has a beautiful and smooth black plumage with a white underbelly. Wavy black lines … Take full advantage of our site features by enabling JavaScript. All written content and photographs on this blog are the property of Michael Q. Powell. accomplished by adding some floating catfish food to their feed. Initially I thought that there was no way that I could capture an image mid-dive—his actions seemed too unpredictable. There are 78 hooded merganser for sale on Etsy, and they cost £30.64 on average. Etsy uses cookies and similar technologies to give you a better experience, enabling things like: Detailed information can be found in Etsy’s Cookies & Similar Technologies Policy and our Privacy Policy. The hooded merganser is the smallest of the three merganser species occurring in North America. white and redish brown. until their second fall. Popular choices include Framed Prints, Canvas Prints, Posters and Jigsaw Puzzles. Shop now >. Thank you! Please. Female Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) on a log with, USA, Washington State. Females will actively seek out cavities in dead trees or artificial nest boxes such as those provided for nesting wood ducks.