HOODED MERGANSER 



345 



SPECIMEN IDENTIFICATION 



MALE. WINTER PLUMAGE: General effect: A small, black-backed, whitebreasted 

 duck, with a black head and startling white crest. Chief distinguishing features 



(a) hind toe with lobe, (b) typical merganser bill, 

 narrow cylindrical and toothed, but short and black 

 (fig. 53), (c) black head, with large compressed white 

 crest, narrowly bordered with black. 



The bill will distinguish it from the ducks of 

 the other subfamilies, and its size and general ap- 

 pearance from the other mergansers. 



Fie. 53.-BW of Hooded 



Merganser. (Compare with 



fig. 54.) 



AUTUMN AND JUVENILE PLUMAGE: See "Descriptions." 



FEMALE. General effect: A small, brown-backed, 

 white-breasted duck with a pronounced crest. Chief 

 features (a) hind toe with lobe, (b) typical mer- 

 ganser bill, but short and dark (fig. 53). 

 The bill will separate it from the ducks of all the other subfamilies. 



FIELD MARKS 



ON THE WATER. The small male is readily recognized by its clearly de- 

 fined black-and-white markings and its prominent, black-bordered, fan-shaped, 

 white crest; the two vertical black bars in front of the folded wing are a good 

 identifying mark. The male constantly raises and 

 depresses its striking white crest. The drab female 

 is recognized by its small size, thin crest, pointed 

 black bill and white speculum. These mergansers 

 and the Wood Duck are often found in associa- 

 tion. In poor light, the male Wood Duck with 

 crest ruffled may be mistaken for this species. The 



white head-patch of the Buffle-head sometimes causes confusion with this merganser, 

 but the white sides and different build of the Buffle-head will separate. 



IN FLIGHT. The white crest is depressed, and the head and neck appear 

 like a little black stick, the white crest showing as a thin white streak; the head 

 is held lowered at a moderate angle; the male is recognized by its black-and- 

 white markings, the white breast and 

 white wing-patch being very evident; the 

 contrasting black-and-white stripings of 

 the tertials form a good identifying mark. 

 The brown female also shows a white 

 breast and white wing-patch. The flight 

 is swift and direct and probably more 

 silent than that of any other species. 

 These mergansers are usually found in 

 pairs or in very small flocks. They rise 

 from the water with great agility. 



VOICE. A rough grunt resembling 

 the syllables, croo, crooh, crooh. The 

 female with young, if alarmed, utters a 

 guttural, chattering cry. 



