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Wildlife
- Birds - |
Hooded Merganser
(Lophodytes cucullatus) M, B, W |
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RANGE: Breeds from southern Alaska to Nova Scotia, south to
Oregon and Idaho, east to Maine and Massachusetts, and locally
in the Mississippi Valley and southeastern United States.
Winters on freshwater from British Columbia and New England
south to California, Texas, Florida, and northern Mexico.
STATUS: Locally common or rare.
HABITAT: Inhabits wooded, clear freshwater habitats, preferably
water with sandy, gravelly, or cobbled bottoms. Prefers
fast-flowing water, but also uses standing water as long as it
is clear, small fish and invertebrates are abundant, and nest
sites are available. Easily disturbed and thus tends to avoid
areas of human activity. In Wisconsin, brood habitat was
described as rivers with high levels of food resources, fast
current velocities (0.80 to 0.93 feet/second), and wide (40 to
60 feet) and moderately deep (1 to 2 feet) channels with cobbled
bottoms and heavy surrounding cover of mixed hardwoods.
SPECIAL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS: Wooded, clear water streams,
rivers, swamps, ponds, and lakes with cavity trees.
NEST: A cavity nester that uses almost any hole or hollow tree,
at any height, as long as it is large enough for the female and
her nest. The nest tree is usually within a few yards of, or
standing in, water. Prefers flooded shoreline with standing
trees, and with snags or stumps interspersed but will nest in
other locations, including nest boxes.
FOOD: Captures food during short dives in shallow, often rapidly
flowing water, or at water surface. Eats small fishes (mainly
rough fish), crayfish and other crustaceans, many aquatic
insects such as caddis fly larvae and dragonfly nymphs, also
some seeds and parts of aquatic plants.
REFERENCES: Adamus et al. 2001, Bellrose 1976, Johnsgard 1975b,
Kitchen and Hunt 1969, Miller 1999, Morse et al. 1969, Palmer
1976b, Shunk 2004, Terres 1980, Vickery in Farrand 1983a. |
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