Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucllatus

The vast majority of Hooded Mergansers that turn up in the wild in Britain and Europe relate to birds that have escaped from captivity; a few are suspected as being wild vagrants from North America.

Most of the birds in the following photos are certainly not wild as they were photographed while still in captivity but the first arrived as an immature bird in circumstances that led many to think it may be a genuine vagrant; however the fact that it has remained present now for a number of seasons and is ridiculously tame does not help its case.

Hooded Merganser, Radipole, 2-May-09 Hooded Merganser, Radipole, 2-May-09
Hooded Merganser, Radipole, 2-May-09 Hooded Merganser, Radipole, 2-May-09
Hooded Merganser, Radipole, 2-May-09 Hooded Merganser, Radipole, 2-May-09

male Hooded Merganser, Radipole Lake (Dorset, UK), 2nd May 2009

 

Hooded Merganser, Blakeney Collection, 28-Feb-09 Hooded Merganser, Blakeney Collection, 28-Feb-09
Hooded Merganser, Blakeney Collection, 28-Feb-09 Hooded Merganser, Blakeney Collection, 28-Feb-09

captive Hooded Mergansers, Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 28th February 2009

 

Hooded Merganser, Blakeney Collection, 12-Apr-04 Hooded Merganser, Blakeney Collection, 12-Apr-04

captive Hooded Mergansers, Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 12th April 2004

 

Hooded Merganser, Blakeney Collection, 12-Apr-04  

captive Hooded Merganser, Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 13th February 2010