Hooded mergansers are the small merganser of the three species we see in Washington. They are 18" long and 22.4 ounces (46 cm and 670 grams). Red-breasted mergansers are a little longer but 50% heavier, and Common mergansers are
much larger and weigh over twice as much.
Hooded mergansers are often found in wooded wetlands, small ponds, and are tree cavity nesting birds like Wood ducks. In the winter we sometimes find them in relatively protected larger fresh water lakes and in the Puget Sound on salt water. As you can see from this photo male Hooded mergansers have a large white crest on their head, that they can raise up into a large peaked crest, or like in this photo can fold down to a fairly narrow white stripe.
Hooded mergansers feed mostly on small fish, and in winter are often seen in small groups, occasionally larger groups. They are always a joy to see, the shy rufous-red colored females and young, and the dramatically patterned males.
Good birding