{"id":34604,"date":"2023-02-15T21:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-16T02:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/flgcc.com\/?p=34604"},"modified":"2026-01-26T10:53:48","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T15:53:48","slug":"mergansers-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flgcc.com\/index.php\/2023\/02\/15\/mergansers-2\/florida\/","title":{"rendered":"Mergansers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The past few years we have been fortunate to find several groups of hooded mergansers that picked this area as their winter home. They are small diving ducks that like to feed on little fish, snails, and water insects. When they find a good food source and get into a feeding frenzy, they will dive repeatedly until they are satisfied, or the food source disappears. They will surface only for a moment before diving again. During these periods, they can be a challenge to photograph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Male
Male Hooded Merganser Surfaces After Diving for Food<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Male mergansers like to show off. Their bright white crown feathers are striking when fanned. They will often do water dances for the females and chase other males to show dominance. Unfortunately, they don\u2019t stay here for long. They\u2019re among the first group of ducks to leave in the spring, often by the first of March. But while they\u2019re here, they are enjoyable to watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Hooded
Hooded Merganser Male Rests on a Pond in the Sun<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A few more pictures from this journey are featured below. For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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