A Year of Wildlife – Day 10 – Hooded Merganser

The first time I saw a hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) I had no idea what kind of duck it was – I just knew that it was unusual and beautiful. The name is derived from the Greek language meaning “crested” “diver.” Males are very distinctive with their large white crest surrounded by black.

This is a male hooded merganser. Females have a gray-brown head with a cinnamon crest and gray/brown bodies.