Ducks & Geese

Hooded Merganser

Kappensäger

Lophodytes cucullatus

Ducks & Geese4 photosFirst seen: 10 August 2026

The Hooded Merganser is a small diving duck with a narrow bill and a large movable crest. Adult males have a black-and-white head pattern, while females and young birds are mostly brown with a warmer crest. It dives for small fish, aquatic insects and crustaceans in wooded ponds and slow rivers. The species nests in tree cavities and nest boxes. Ducklings leave the cavity shortly after hatching by jumping to the ground or water.

ID tip: Females and young birds have a warm cinnamon crest, grey-brown body and slim dark bill. They are much smaller and shorter-billed than female Common or Red-breasted Mergansers.

First seen: 10 August 2026 · Anacortes Ferry Terminal · 4 photos in the collection.

Places in my records

Locations where this species is supported by a dated first record, an unambiguous single-place outing or a reviewed assignment.

Anacortes Ferry Terminal10 August 2026

Family: Ducks & Geese (Anatidae)
Length: 40–49 cm
Wingspan: 60–66 cm
Regional status: Year-round resident (Pacific Northwest, USA)
Conservation: Least Concern LCIUCN Red List · retrieved 27 August 2026
Habitat: Wooded ponds and streams, sheltered bays outside the breeding season
Diet: Small fish, crayfish, aquatic insects and amphibians

Built from verified occurrence records, not drawn by hand. Core range = the countries holding 99% of all records; the rest are scattered or vagrant records. Record counts track where people watch birds as much as where the birds are, so the map shows presence, not abundance. Data: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). Basemap: Natural Earth.

Hooded Merganser

Places in my records

Selected photographs