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Hooded Merganser

Lophodytes cucullatusOrder: ANSERIFORMES Family: Geese and Ducks (Anatidae)
Codes: Common Name: HOME Scientific Name: LOPCUC ITIS Taxonomic No.: 175183
Least Concern
 
Hooded Merganser: The male Hooded Merganser has a black head, neck, back, and chestnut flanks. The underparts are white with two black bars on the sides of the breast. A distinct crest shows a large white patch when raised and a white stripe extending backwards from the eye when lowered.
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Overview

Hooded Merganser: Small merganser with black upperparts and white underparts with two black bars on side of breast; red-brown flanks. Crest shows large white patch when raised, white stripe extending backwards from the eye when lowered. Dark wings have white shoulder patches visible in flight.

Range and Habitat

Hooded Merganser: Breeds and winters in the Great Lakes region, eastern Canada, and the Pacific northwest. Preferred habitats include small forest pools, millponds, swamps, and beaver ponds.

Topo Map: Duck-like Body


Listen to Call

Voice Text

"crrrroooo"

Interesting Facts

 The Hooded Merganser finds its prey underwater by sight, the nictating membrane (third eyelid) is clear and acts to protect the eye during swimming, just like a pair of goggles.

 It is the smallest of the three species of mergansers found in North America.

 They are extremely agile swimmers and divers but awkward on land because their legs are set far back on the body.

 A group of ducks has many collective nouns, including a "brace", "flush", "paddling", "raft", and "team" of ducks.


Bird Term Glossary



Author

Gary Owen Dick

Splitbar
Range Map for Hooded Mergancer

Related Birds

Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Smew
Common Merganser
.
Family Merganser (Anatidae)_blue
Species Lophodytes cucullatus
Length16 - 19 Inches
Wingspan25 Inches

Hooded Merganser

Hooded Merganser: Small merganser with black upperparts and white underparts with two black bars on side of breast; red-brown flanks. Crest shows large white patch when raised, white stripe extending backwards from the eye when lowered. Dark wings have white shoulder patches visible in flight.

● Song: "crrrroooo"

● Foraging & Feeding: Hooded Merganser: Forages underwater, diving from the surface and capturing fish with its serrated and hooked bill; also feeds on crayfish, snails, frogs, insects, aquatic plants, and seeds.

● Breeding & nesting: Hooded Merganser: Six to eighteen white eggs are laid in a hollow tree, stump, or other natural cavity lined with down. Nest is usually near water and 10 to 20 feet above the ground. Incubation ranges from 32 to 33 days and is carried out by the female; once the female begins to incubate, the male abandons her.

● Similar species: Hooded Merganser: Bufflehead has smaller bill, dark eyes, and lacks black breast bars and brown belly.

Flight Pattern

Rapid direct flight with fast wing beats., Flies silently and swifty.
Hooded Merganser Male Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Hooded Merganser: Breeds and winters in the Great Lakes region, eastern Canada, and the Pacific northwest. Preferred habitats include small forest pools, millponds, swamps, and beaver ponds.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
PopulationIncreasing
MigrationMigratory
Weight24 Ounces
Duck-like BodyX
UnderpartsX
Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.
UpperpartsX
Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.
CrestX
Tufts of feathers on the head of the bird.
ShoulderX
The short feathers overlying the median secondary coverts on the top of the wing. They are located near the back and can be seen as the “first row” of feathers on the birds wing. They are also called marginal coverts and lesser secondary coverts.
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

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ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

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Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX