Hooded Merganser | Fantastic Crest and Humorous Courtship Display!

Hooded mergansers are a sight to behold. That crest! It's something you just don't forget. The males are striking with their oblong black and white hoods. And the females are just as sleek and unique looking with their cinnamon-colored, frizzy-looking crests.
Chapters:
That crest! 00:00
Where they are found 00:56
Diving for food 01:14
Courtship description 02:26
Courtship display 02:46
Nest in tree cavities 03:15
Migration 03:51
Conclusion 04:05
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Social Media:
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Photos and video sources:
Canva.com
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Flickr.com
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Pixabay.com
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Pexels.com
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Videvo.net
Wikipedia Creative Commons License
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Credits in order of appearance:
Opening barn swallow vocalization by Jonathon Jongsma, XC254488. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/254488.
That crest
-Opening video by teyi from Pexels.com
-Male hooded merganser, female hooded merganser by Linda Koski from Canva.com
-Female and male on water by BlackBoxGuild from Videvo.net
-Crest lowering 3up: (L) by Skyler Ewing from Pexels.com, (M) by William Krumpelman from Canva.com, (R) by 6381380 from Canva.com
-White wing bars on male and female by M.T. from Canva.com
-Longer tail by EdwardSnow from Canva.com
Where they are found
-Male and female on water by BlackBoxGuild from Videvo.net
-Range map by Cephas from Wikipedia.com
Diving for food
-Male diving with female in background by BlackBoxGuild from Videvo.net
-Foot placement 3up: (L) Mallard duck by All Things Birdie, (R) Hooded merganser by SommerRayn from Pixabay.com, (B) Common loon by Nicholas Motto from Canva.com
-Female hooded merganser with fish, male with fish by Annette Shaff from Canva.com
-Female hooded merganser with crustacean by Christian Fritschi from Flickr.com
-Female eating small fish by Sam May from Flickr.com
-Crest collapse before dive by 6381380 from Canva.com
-Flattened crest when foraging video by BlackBoxGuild from Videvo.net
-Male diving by BlackBoxGuild from Videvo.net
-Female foraging on water by BlackBoxGuild from Videvo.net
-Male eating crayfish by ChannelCityCameraClub from Flickr.com
Courtship description
-3 males displaying by William Krumpelman from Canva.com
-Male neck stretch by William Krumpelman from Canva.com
-Male upright wings out, male upright wings forward by Harry Collins from Canva.com
-2 males displaying in unison by BirdImages from Canva.com
-Male displaying for female by randimal from Canva.com
-Male display by BrianLasenby from canva.com
Courtship display
-Courtship display video by teyi from Pexels.com
-Male with bill open by ross1248 from Canva.com
Nest in tree cavities
-Female at nest box by William Krumpelman from Canva.com
-Eggs by Ruger Culos from Wikipedia.com
-Female and 2 ducklings on log by Rita Wiskowski from Flickr.com
-Female and 7 ducklings on log by WilliamSherman from Canva.com
-2up: Duckling eating fish by Amoury Laporte from Flickr.com, Female and ducklings on water by Daniele Brigida from Flickr.com
Migration
-Male and female in flight by William Krumpelman from Canva.com
-Male and female in flight by Jens_Lambert_Photography from Canva.com
Conclusion
-At home 3up: (L) 2 males in flight by RC Keller from Canva.com, (M) male and female on water by BlackBoxGuild from Videvo.net, (R) 2 females on tree snag by USFWS Mountain-Prairie from Flickr.com
-Female with turtles on log by RT Images from Canva.com
-Male on water by MikeLane45 from Canva.com
-Males and females on water by Aristine from Canva.com
Outro music: Thoughts by Borrtex
Thumbnail credit: Male hooded mergansers displaying by William Krumpelman from Canva.com

[@celowski6296]

Beautiful pics! Here in northern Michigan, we look forward to seeing them every spring!

[@GreatGray8790]

Thanks for the video!

[@BornFreeFilms]

Pretty

[@corbechupacabra]

I love them so much. I think I might have a new favorite duck!

[@allthingsbirdie]

I do too. They are just delightful!

[@travisbicklejr]

Great video as always! One day I hope to see one of these fascinating birds!

[@allthingsbirdie]

Thank you! They are a joy to watch!

[@TheVersipelis]

For the past two years, they have visited my area in the Winter. I assume they’re hunted, because they are very skittish, and wary of humans.

[@jeffolson4731]

Great footage and images. Like with all diving ducks, I have taken numerous photos of them that resulted in just the tail feathers being above the water as they dive.
I have several areas around me in the Puget Sound Area of Washington State that have Hooded Mergansers year round. I actually see them more in the winter than the summer.

[@allthingsbirdie]

Thank you for sharing! It's great that you get to see them year round where you live. I only get to see them in the winter.