346 MERGANSERS 



LIFE STORY 



The Hooded Merganser, one of our most beautiful waterfowl, is ex- 

 clusively a North American species. It is found across the continent 

 anywhere in wooded timberlands surrounding ponds and streams, such 

 localities being suited to its tree-nesting habits and shy, retiring dis- 

 position. The full-plumaged male, with its startling, flattened white 

 crest, vies with the drake Wood Duck in beauty, and the two species are 

 often found in association in the watery woodlands in which both build 

 their nests and raise their broods. As a game bird it is little valued 

 for, while generally quite plump and often reasonably palatable, it is 

 small and, too frequently, strongly flavoured. It is a fresh water duck, 

 seldom if ever visiting the sea coasts, wintering in the southern States 

 and as far north as open water can be found. 



The nests of this species are usually placed in cavities in trees, 

 preferably located in the vicinity of water, but failing such cites, suit- 

 able trees will be sought even though they may be half a mile or more 

 from the nearest pond or stream. Neither this nor any other tree-nesting 

 duck ever transports any foreign material for lining the nests, but makes 

 use of any debris or decaying chips that may already be there, and sup- 

 plements it with down. Nesting as it does in the same localities as the 

 Wood Duck, it often enters into conflict with that species over the pos- 

 session of a nest; if combat ensues, as it frequently does, the Wood Duck 

 is generally the victor. The dispute is sometimes amicably settled, how- 

 ever, as the eggs of the two species are often found in the same nest 

 which is occupied by both ducks in turns. Regarding their nesting 

 habits, Bent (1923) says: "The birds are probably mated when they 

 arrive on their breeding grounds and soon begin the search for a suit- 

 able cavity for a nest, but they are not particular as to the size and shape 

 of the cavity, the kind of a tree in which they find it, or the height from 

 the ground; almost any hole or a hollow tree trunk will do, provided it 

 is large enough to admit the bird and of the proper shape to hold and 

 protect the eggs; even the open hollowed top of a stump or a fallen 

 hollow log will do; and sometimes a hole in the ground is occupied." 



The eggs may vary in number from 6 to 18, but the usual clutch is 

 from 10 to 12; they are pure white in colour, quite round in shape and 

 average 2.11 by 1.77 inches in size. Incubation is said to require 31 days, 

 and is performed by the female alone, the males deserting the females at 

 this time. The method by which the young of the tree-nesting ducks 

 reach the ground is fully described in the "Life Story" of the American 

 Golden-eye and of the Wood Duck, and need not be repeated here. The 

 resourcefulness which is shown by a mother bird when her young are 

 endangered is well illustrated in the following account by Samuels 

 (1883): "When the female is suddenFy surprised, while with her young 

 in a stream or pond, she gives a guttural, chattering cry, when the whole 

 brood dives and swims off under the water to the shore, where they con- 

 ceal themselves in the aquatic herbage. While they are thus retreating, 

 the mother simulating lameness, almost exactly like some of the shore 



