Hooded Merganser

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Hooded Merganser (male)
These little birds are easily one of my favorite ducks.  Mergansers have bills with serrated edges to help them catch fish and other prey, which they usually do after diving under the surface of the water.  They're beautiful birds, and even though I see them frequently here in FL, I can't help but stop to photograph them whenever I see them. The above photograph was actually taken at a retention pond at my son's school.

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Hooded Mergansers (Female) with one returning to the surface
As you can see, males and females look very different from each other, and they also have different looks depending on whether their "hood" is up or down.

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Hooded Merganser
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Hooded Mergansers with their "Hoods" Up
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  1. Jackie GarnerMarch 13, 2012 at 11:49 AM

    Hooded mergansers are one of my favourite duck species too, though I have to visit a wildfowl reserve to see them. As for seeing them at school, I hope your son realises how lucky he is. Just shows you don't have to travel far to see great wildlife and capture beautiful images.

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    1. Scott SimmonsMarch 13, 2012 at 11:56 AM

      Thanks! It's almost funny how many good finds you can see in very common places. There are 3 females that are regularly in the pond by my office, and 4 wood ducks frequent there too.

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