Wetlands Month Featured Creature: The Hooded Merganser

Learn more about one of Michigan's most striking ducks. Here's a bulletin from the Michigan DNR.

May is American Wetlands Month – a month to appreciate and enjoy the wonders of wetlands. Take some time to experience this amazing native ecosystem by visiting one of Michigan’s Wetland Wonders. There, you may find one of Michigan’s most striking ducks, the hooded merganser.

Found on quiet wooded ponds, wetlands, lake and rivers, hooded mergansers are diminutive ducks. They measure a little over a foot, with a 2-foot wingspan. The drake, or male, hooded merganser has a glorious black and white “hood” on the top of its head, which resembles a fancy mohawk. Its black and white back, combined with its chestnut brown sides and white breast, completes the stunning view. The hen, or female, hooded merganser is rich brown overall with a reddish-brown hood.

Though this duck migrates annually, some hooded mergansers stay here year-round, especially in the southern part of the state. In the northern parts of Michigan, hooded mergansers can be found from late March to mid-November.

The hooded merganser’s long, narrow bill is lined with small tooth-like serrations to help it catch and hold on to its prey. They love to eat small fish, caddisfly and dragonfly larvae, snails, amphibians, crayfish and sometimes acorns! These ducks have an extra eyelid that helps them see underwater when diving for food.

Hooded mergansers nest in tree cavities that are 15-40 feet above the ground or in wood-duck nest boxes. The hens lay 10-12 eggs at a time. Hooded merganser hens sometimes lay their eggs in the nests of other hooded merganser hens. This leaves one hen with more than her share of ducklings to raise. Hooded merganser nests have been documented with up to 44 eggs in them!

These special ducks are delightful to watch, but make sure you approach them cautiously. They are quite shy and startle easily. Many of Michigan’s state game and wildlife areas are home to hooded mergansers.

Michigan’s state game and wildlife areas are free to wildlife watchers. Hunting license fees pay for habitat management at these areas. Even if you are not a hunter in the traditional sense, consider purchasing an $11 base license to help the creatures you hunt with your binoculars, cameras and spotting scopes.

Also consider liking the Michigan Waterfowl Legacy on Facebook. The Michigan Waterfowl Legacy is a 10-year, cooperative partnership to restore, conserve and celebrate Michigan's waterfowl, wetland and waterfowl hunting community. The initiative is a "call to action" to honor yesterday, engage today and build for tomorrow. To learn more, visit www.mi.gov/mwl.