Hooded Merganser

About the Hooded Merganser

A small, spectacular diving duck, the drake Hooded Merganser is a showstopper - black and white above with rich chestnut flanks and a large, fan-shaped white crest bordered in black that he can raise into a striking sail or collapse flat. The female is warm brown with a shaggy cinnamon crest. Both have a thin, serrated bill built for gripping slippery prey.

Hooded Mergansers dive in clear, quiet water for small fish, crayfish, and aquatic insects, hunting by sight with remarkable underwater agility. They favor wooded ponds, sloughs, and backwaters, and nest in tree cavities.

In Texas the Hooded Merganser is a winter visitor, most often found in small numbers on secluded ponds, sloughs, and quiet lake arms, especially in the eastern half of the state.

A note from behind the lens: they are shy and quick to dive, so a slow, low approach and a still setup pay off. Wait for a drake to raise that white crest in display on calm, dark water - a moment of soft light on the fan is the shot to hold out for.