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Lophodytes cucullatus
small duck, 12''-14' in length, black and white. Easy to confuse with bufflehead - at least for me!!
You are all on the ball!!! These are indeed hooded mergansers. I should have known better, my wife and I helped out at banding when we were in Maine. Thanks!
Ashley is correct on the ID please check. Buffleheads have a very small bill in comparison to mergansers. The females of Bufflheads are also much different in appearance. These are Hooded Mergansers.
Although buffleheads and hooded mergansers do both have a large white patch on the back of the head, buffleheads have a round head where the ducks in your photos have a very large, awkwardly long head. Buffleheads and hooded mergansers are two of my favorite ducks, nice find!
Spotted on Jan 30, 2013
Submitted on Feb 1, 2013
+2
