A New Visitor on Futch Creek: Hooded Mergansers

Hooded Mergansers

(Above, Male Hooded Merganser on left and female on right)

A cool fog and high tide revealed new visitors to Futch Creek this morning. Here to stay for the Winter, these Hooded Mergansers travelled all the way down from Canada and are diving birds. Their distinguishing features include a black bill and a crest "hood" that lifts white hairs. The males lift and lower their crests to show off their large white "hoods." The females are brown with a brown crest hood. They often nest with wood ducks, which greatly resemble these Mergansers, and can be found in a nest with up to 20-25 eggs (Female Mergansers share nests, with each female laying 10-12 eggs, and also share their nests with Wood ducks.)Groups of three to a dozen were spotted along Futch Creek at the end of November. The Mergansers prefer wooded habitats, and can be seen in shallow ponds, lakes and rivers.