Image by ‘Peterwchen’ on Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Physical: The Hooded Merganser is a small diving duck with a long pointed bill with sharp edges. The males have a fan like crest on top of their head. Males are darker in color and yellow eyes where the females have a light brown color and grayish-brown eyes.

Habitat: L. cucullatus mainly is found in estuaries, rivers lakes and streams. They are also chiefly a N. American duck and are rarely found elsewhere.

Feeding: These birds feed on mainly small fish and occasionally on small crustaceans.

Breeding: L. cucullatus  lays approx. 3-7 eggs and makes a nest in shrubbery out of grasses and sticks. The young follow them around till the time they fly south.