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Hooded Merganser

Lophodytes cucullatus

Photo by KarenSaxton
Published on Project Noah
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39.5007, -119.807

Field Notes

Description:

small diving duck with merganser type beak and not enough white for a hooded merganser male. Too dark for a female. Is there a regional difference, a possibility of hybridization?

Habitat:

city lake park

Species ID Suggestions

Hooded Merganser

Lophodytes cucullatus

Comments (7)

Could also be a juvenile
Odd that I have never seen one in eclipse plumage - and that includes every text/field guide I can lay my hands on(both online and paper). Frustrating. I'm not doubting it, as I originally thought hoodie. I'm just perplexed at the lack of verification available in this day and age I did find one pic, but it looked more like a female in coloring except for the white head spot, and didn't show the wing bars at all .
Breeding and no-breeding colors
Yes, I get the small size and narrow bill and the hood spreading. That all screamed hooded merganser when I saw it. What I'm not reconciling is the lack of chestnut and white breast as in http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/9979162 http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/9344774 and http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/10179211
Small size, narrow bill. The head feathers will spread. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/hooded_merganser/id
I have them at my house most of the winter and sometimes into spring and unlike this one they have tons of white and the chestnut markings. Tell me what I'm missing?
Photographed
PublishedSeptember 9, 2013

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