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Lophodytes cucullatus
Hooded Mergansers are small ducks with a thin bill and a fan-shaped, collapsible crest that makes the head look oversized and oblong. In flight, the wings are thin and the tail is relatively long and rounded. Adult male Hooded Mergansers are black above, with a white breast and rich chestnut flanks. The black head has a large white patch that varies in size when the crest is raised or lowered, but is always prominent. Females and immatures are gray and brown, with warm tawny-cinnamon tones on the head. Hooded Mergansers dive to catch aquatic insects, crayfish, and small fish.
Look for Hooded Mergansers on small bodies of freshwater. In summer, these small ducks nest in holes in trees, often near freshwater ponds or rivers. For winter, they move to larger bodies of freshwater, marshes, and protected saltwater bays.
Spotted in a detention/retention pond in an office building complex in Kennesaw, GA
3 Comments
Nice shots! I don't have a good hooded merganser shot.
It was awhile before I found a flock of these guys that would let me get close, but keep trying, I promise it will happen sooner or later! Lovely shots of one of my favorite ducks!
Sorry for graininess - these were 2 very shy ducks and moved as far away from me as they could - even when I was still up in the parking lot!