Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)

Think mohawk or windblown or Bride of Frankenstein, and you may be able to picture the great crest of feathers atop the hooded merganser’s head. Hooded merganser crests or hoods are fan-shaped and collapsible feathers that can stand up straight or lay flat on their head. They are small ducks with thin bills, approximately 18 inches in length and weighing just over one pound. Much like the goldeneye, male mergansers are black and white with a vibrant yellow eye, and females are a more muted gray and brown.