We subscribe to a website that posts "bird alerts". One such alert said that Hooded Mergansers had started to arrive in our area and could be found in a pond near a shopping center in Sarasota. So, we drove to the site and sure enough, there they were. It is a life-list bird for us, we had never seen one before this trip.
The male Hooded Merganser has a black head with a white-centered crest that is fan-shaped when raised. When lowered it becomes a long white stripe behind his eye. He has a black back, reddish-brown flanks and a white chest with black vertical stripes on his sides. He has a pale yellow eye and a black bill. The female has a grayish head with a pale cheek and a cinnamon brown crest. Her back is dark and her flanks and breast are gray. She has a dark brown eye. Her bill is brownish on top (upper mandible) and orangish on the bottom (lower mandible).
Among Merganser species, the Hooded Merganser is the second smallest and the only one whose native habitat is restricted to North America. They are about 18 inches in length, weigh between one and two pounds, with a wingspan of 23.5 to 26 inches. They are short-distance migrants, moving to areas where winter temperatures allow for ice-free conditions on ponds, lakes and rivers. Enjoy these photos of the Hooded Merganser.....tweet.....tweet!!
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| Hooded Mergansers (Taken 11/14/12, Sarasota FL) |
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| Hooded Mergansers (Taken 11/14/12, Sarasota FL) |
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