Hooded Merganser

Lophodytes cucullatus

A pair of Hooded Mergansers, plus a male with his hood down

Hooded Mergansers are native to the northern parts of North America, where they frequent deeper fresh water pools and streams. Excellent swimmers and divers, they feed mostly on small fish. They are less social than most of the diving ducks, rarely being found in flocks of more than 15

The 5-8 white eggs are laid in holes in trees and hatch in 30 days. In captivity they will nest in Wood Duck nest boxes.