Partners in Flight (2017) assigned it a moderately low Continental Concern Score of 8/20. North American Breeding Distribution and Relative Abundance: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources 2016, http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/publications/wildlife/population2015/4-wetland-wildlife.pdf, https://birdsna.org/Species-Account/bna/species/hoomer, http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/mcbs/birdmaps/hooded_merganser_map.pdf, http://climate.audubon.org/birds/hoomer/hooded-merganser, https://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/pdf/management/NAWMP/2004NAWMP-Framework.pdf, https://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/pdf/management/NAWMP/2012NAWMP.pdf, http://seaduckjv.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/home_sppfactsheet.pdf, Dugger, Bruce D., Katie M. Dugger, and Leigh H. Fredrickson. Thanks, Mark Vance Females have a very high fidelity to the breeding site. Minnesota 14 1990 State Duck Stamp Print Hooded Merganser By Kevin Daniel. The Hooded Merganser was a common species during the Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas (MNBBA). Estimates of nesting densities in Minnesota averaged at least 40 pairs per 100 km2 (Zicus 1990) compared to estimates ranging from 1.4 to 11.1 pairs per 100 km2 in southeastern Canada (Dugger et al. Hertzel, Anthony X., and Robert B. Janssen. $950.00. Saw a similar scene two years ago around the same time of year. Toronto: Bird Studies Canada, Environment Canada, Ontario Field Ornithologists, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, and Ontario Nature. Minnesota Valley NWR, Louisville Swamp Unit. This hooded merganser hen is hanging out in the same Blaine pond as the drake. minnesota birder hooded merganser. They breed throughout the east and Pacific Northwest, and are most common around the Great Lakes region. http://www.nrri.umn.edu/mnbirds. The Hooded Merganser was the fifth most frequently reported waterfowl species in the state during the atlas, behind the Canada Goose, Mallard, Wood Duck, and Blue-winged Teal. This button not working for you? The Common Merganser is a breeding resident across Minnesota’s northern forest landscape. Red Breasted Merganser on Yellow/Green Water. Outside of the forested regions of northern and central Minnesota, riparian habitats throughout western and southern Minnesota provide suitable habitat, as does the greater Twin Cities metropolitan region, where the deployment of artificial nest boxes likely improves nesting opportunities for the species. My favorites include “dragon,” “sawbill,” “big guy,” “fish duck” and “Catholic duck.” You’ve probably heard others, too. The Hooded Merganser is broadly distributed across the eastern half of the United States, with a second, disjunct population in the Pacific Northwest. “Nesting Biology of Hooded Mergansers Using Nest Boxes.”. Hooded Merganser numbers reported during the Minnesota Waterfowl Survey, 1987–2015 (data not corrected for visibility; taken from data presented in Cordts 2015). In the late 90’s, I began to see the Hooded Merganser encroach on the sacred woody duck house. Cavities may be located in dead or live trees, in broken-off limbs, or atop broken-off tree trunks (Dugger et al. 2015. by mn birder | Apr 10, 2013 | Diving Ducks, Mergansers. By 1998, Hertzel and Janssen had confirmed nesting in an additional 13 counties. 2009). Nevertheless, at the local level the availability of suitable nest cavities may impact population numbers. Partners in Flight assigned it a Continental Concern Score of 8/20. The genus name derives from the Greek language: lophos meaning 'crest', and dutes meaning 'diver'. Hooded Mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus), Swimming in Taunton River, near Riverside Avenue, Somerset, Massachusetts, Saint Brigid's Day, Saturday afternoon, February 1, 2014 - Canon PowerShot SX50 HS MVI_71986; 2:19 min. Zicus, Michael C., Mark A. Briggs, and Richard M. Pace III. The North American Breeding Bird Survey, Results and Analysis 1966–2015. Rocks, logs, and shallow bars are used as loafing sites (Dugger et al. 2013. Hooded merganser, Colonial Church pond, Edina, April 2. A major sexual dimorphism can […] Hooded Merganser Photos Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) Birds | Species Filter by variant: All Variants Adult Adult male Adult female Immature Immature male Immature female Juvenile Adult male in alternate plumage Adult male molting Adult male in basic plumage Female Female or immature Adult male and female Downy young Hooded Mergansers are small ducks with a thin bill and a fan-shaped, collapsible crest that makes the head look oversized and oblong. Ponds, rivers, creeks, bays, and swamps are among the habitats used by this widespread species. Please join! Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) profile, photos, videos, county distribution map, and sightings in Minnesota. Avian Conservation Assessment Database [Online]. St. Paul: Minnesota Forest Resources Council. The female is dark gray above. In the early years of my wood duck observation in Minnesota, the nest boxes were virtually all occupied with Wood Ducks. Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption. 2017. Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link. Mama is a common merganser, a duck found on freshwater lakes. Major funding was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). Common Mergansers living along rivers may spend hours resting on rocks or on shore. Seriously? The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario, 2001–2005. 1975. A female with a brood of half-grown young was also reported in Lake County. The “State of the Birds 2010 Report on Climate Change” considered the species to have a relatively low vulnerability to warming temperatures. https://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/pdf/management/NAWMP/2004NAWMP-Framework.pdf, North American Waterfowl Management Plan, Plan Committee. Because Hooded Mergansers are a forest species, occurring largely east of the region, far less attention has been directed at their life history and, consequently, their conservation and management requirements. North American Breeding Distribution and Relative Abundance: The Hooded Merganser is broadly distributed across the eastern half of the United States, with a second, disjunct population in the Pacific Northwest. Minneapolis: The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union. Roberts, Thomas S. 1932. Fish and Wildlife Service, Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales. Sustaining Minnesota Forest Resources: Voluntary Site-Level Forest Management Guidelines for Landowners, Loggers and Resource Managers. Completed Box Roof should overhang house ¾" in the back and 1" along the sides. A diver that feeds primarily on aquatic insects, small fish, and crustaceans. 1987. 2017). 2017). This resulted in … Their availability can also be impacted in some regions by competition with Common Goldeneyes and Wood Ducks, two other waterfowl species dependent on secondary cavities (Dugger et al. 2015), which has monitored waterfowl populations since 1955. Bans on the use of these chemicals have resulted in a reduction in contaminant levels and an increase in eggshell thickness (Rave et al. Minnesota Valley NWR--Bass Ponds, Hennepin County, Minnesota, US. We measured thickness of common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) and hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) eggshells collected in 2003- 2004 in Minnesota, USA, to compare with measurements taken prior to (approx. https://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/pdf/management/NAWMP/2012NAWMP.pdf, Partners in Flight. 2009). Hooded Merganser: Checking out the backyard: April in Minnesota: Hooded merganser eggs … Male hooded merganser in northern Minnesota by Connie Adams 55 49 The hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) is a species of merganser. Thus, the wide-scale conversion of forests to agricultural lands in the southern half of the state, coupled with logging of mature, old-growth stands in northern Minnesota, would have had a major impact on the species as well. Since 1987, annual numbers have fluctuated from no birds sighted during the surveys to a high of 3,765 birds in 2011 (Cordts 2015); in general the numbers demonstrate a slow, increasing trend with large annual variability (Figure 6). HOODED MERGANSER EGGS: A FOLLOWUP Michael C. Zicus and David P. Rave SUMMARY OF FINDINGS We collected 11 common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) and 16 hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) eggs from northeastern Minnesota in spring 2004 to augment a sample of 45 goldeneye and 42 merganser eggs collected from northern Minnesota in 2003. Drake Hooded Merganser at Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. Steve Midthune and his crew of 9 vehicles and 10 feeder watchers had a banner year finding 34 species and 972 birds. Minnesota comprised 19% of the flyway’s total (7,210 birds) and 9% of the continental harvest. 2013). 2016); nearly 48% of the entire harvest occurred within the Mississippi Flyway. The male has a bold white crest that is outlined in black. In the agricultural region, they use large, shallow wetlands and lakes that are surrounded by woodlots with appropriate cavities or where nest boxes have been erected. New species this year were Carolina Wren, Brown Thrasher, and Grackle and other notables were Hooded Merganser and White Winged Crossbill. Same area Another location near Minnesota Valley NWR--Bass Ponds, Hennepin County, Minnesota, US. Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Overall, they were distributed across the entire state but were least abundant in the Red River valley, in the peatlands of north-central Minnesota, and in the southeast region. Just beautiful...In the small lake behind our house! This button not working for you? Biologists with the Sea Duck Joint Venture (2005) estimate the size of the population to be higher, at approximately 485,000 birds. 2016. Ducks. Mergansers are fish-eating birds that often fly in a straight line. Janssen’s (1987) breeding distribution map excluded only the southwestern counties, from Lac qui Parle County southeast to central Martin County. Apart from a breeding record in Lac qui Parle County, the species was still not confirmed nesting in the southwestern or south-central regions of the state, despite observations of birds in the region throughout the summer. Females can lay up to a dozen or so eggs, according to the National Audubon Society . The Red-breasted Merganser nests in the northern regions, but is more likely to spend its winter on the coast, living in saltwater. Langham, Gary M., Justin G. Schuetz, Trisha Distler, Candan U. Soykan, and Chad Wilsey. In Minnesota, the annual waterfowl breeding population survey does distinguish Hooded Mergansers from the other two large mergansers, Common and Red-breasted. Location: Blanche Lake, Ottertail County. The landcover suitability map for the Hooded Merganser (Figure 4) illustrates the suitability of habitats throughout Minnesota. A secondary-cavity nester; will use artificial nest boxes. Recess the ˜oor ½" up. 2013. Oct 27, 2020 - Explore Bret's board "Hooded Merganser" on Pinterest. I found this Hooded Merganser in a Blaine pond. U.S. Department of the Interior, Environment Canada, and Environment and Natural Resources, Mexico. Typical breeding habitat of the Hooded Merganser in Minnesota (© Lee A. Pfannmuller). Studies have predicted variable impacts of climate change on the Hooded Merganser. The Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas Website was a collaborative project led by Audubon Minnesota and the University of Minnesota, Natural Resources Research Institute. F1889 Ca 1978 Hooded Merganser-sketch Pane Of 5 D03022-01-05 Sb Michaelsen. https://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/. Females were weighed repeatedly during nest- ing from one to five times each year. Two Hooded Merganser Ducks Flying in a Blue Sky. Old cavities excavated by Pileated Woodpeckers also are commonly used (Baldassarre 2014). 2015; National Audubon Society 2016). Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) Note: This map displays only information collected by Minnesota Biological Survey. Until more is understood about the life history and population status of this elegant little member of the merganser family, the best conservation approach is to focus on best management practices that protect riparian woodlands and forests and improve wetland quality. Although the BBS data show a steady increasing trend survey-wide since 1966, the results are compromised by the species’ low abundance. For details see the Data Methods Section. The Climate Report: Hooded Merganser. This is true of the most important survey for North American waterfowl, the North American Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey (Zimpfer et al. Conducted statewide, this number is an index rather than a statewide population estimate Waterfowl Wetlands. 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