Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
About the Hooded Merganser
The hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) is a species of fish-eating duck in the subfamily Anatinae. It is the only extant species in the genus Lophodytes. The genus name derives from Greek: lophos meaning 'crest', and dutes meaning 'diver'. The bird is striking in appearance; both sexes have crests that they can raise or lower, and the breeding plumage of the male is handsomely patterned and colored. The hooded merganser has a sawbill but is not classified as a typical merganser. Hooded mergansers are the second-smallest species of merganser, with only the smew of Europe and Asia being smaller, and it also is the only merganser whose native habitat is restricted to North America.
A real field recording of the Hooded Merganser. Press play and focus on the rhythm and pitch of each phrase.
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Our streaming copies are mirrored from the original xeno-canto file and transcoded to 96 kbps mono — a modification, so we note it here; the licence for each recording is named in its credit below.
3 recordings on this page · licensed CC BY-SA ×3 · mirrored on this server, free for commercial reuse · recorded in Canada, United States · xeno-canto lists 34 recordings for this species in total.
Other birds in this region
- Acadian FlycatcherEmpidonax virescensrecording
- Alder FlycatcherEmpidonax alnorumrecording
- American AvocetRecurvirostra americanarecording
- American Barn OwlTyto furcatarecording
- American BitternBotaurus lentiginosusrecording
- American BushtitPsaltriparus minimusrecording
These are the birds recorded alongside it, not close relatives — the site holds no other member of its genus or family yet.