Bird Gallery Index

Hooded Merganser image © Bill Duke

Family: (Anatidae) Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Preferred Habitat: Wooded lakes and ponds; occasionally coastal marshes.

Seasonal Occurrence: Uncommon in winter.

Notes: The Hooded Merganser is a handsome, slender duck, usually found singly or in small numbers. Rare along the coast, it is more likely inland in locations such as Brazos Bend State Park. San Jacinto State Park is also an excellent location to find them. The male is distinctive with its white crest and dark back. Females are more muted with gray plumage and a rust-orange crest.
- Susan Billetdeaux