Hooded Merganser

Lophodytes cucullatusOrder: ANSERIFORMES Family: Geese and Ducks (Anatidae)

Codes: Common Name: HOME Scientific Name: LOPCUC ITIS Taxonomic No.: 175183

Breeding Location:

Lakes, Swamps, Forest pools

Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Solitary nester

Breeding Population:

Increasing

Egg Color:

White

Number of Eggs:

6 - 18

Incubation Days:

32 - 33

Egg Incubator:

Female

Nest Material:

Lined with down., Wood chips in base of cavity.

Migration:

Migratory

General

Hooded Merganser: Small merganser with black head, neck, and back, and white underparts with two black bars on side of breast; flanks are red-brown. Distinct crest shows large white patch when raised and white stripe extending backwards from the eye when lowered. Eyes are bright yellow and bill is dark gray. Wings are dark with white shoulder patches visible in flight. Female has bushy brown crest, gray upper breast and flanks, white markings on wings, and dull yellow eyes. The upper bill is dark brown and the lower bill is dark yellow. Juvenile is similar to female but may lack crest and has darker eyes. Eclipse male resembles female but is darker and has bright yellow eyes and gray bill.

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.

Breeding and 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.

Foraging and 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.

Vocalization

Hooded Merganser: Utters hoarse grunts and chatters. Displaying male gives rolling, frog-like "crrrroooo."

Similar Species

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

Percevia^® Registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The Percevia field guides, database and search protocol patent pending.

The best bird guide and bird watching search engine to identify birds!

Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

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.

● 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

Underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

Breast

The upper front part of a bird.

Crest

Tufts of feathers on the head of the bird.

Shoulder

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 codes

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.

Field Guide to Birds of North America