Hooded Mergansers are small birds or ducks that have black upper parts, white under parts, two black bars on each side of the breasts, dark wings, and white shoulder patches. They can be found in eastern parts of Canada, the Great Lakes region, and in the Pacific Northwest. They often live in forest pools, swamps, and ponds.
Hooded Mergansers hunt their prey by diving underwater. Their diet mostly consists of fish, crabs, crustaceans, and aquatic insects and plants. If you want to build a birdhouse feeder for Hooded Mergansers, ideal dimensions are 12 x 12 inches floor and a 24 inch ceiling. Put a 3 x 4 inch entrance hole that is about 21 inches above the floor. Secure the roof with shutter hooks for easy access. Put a lot of woodchips and mount the feeder about 10 feet off the ground or above surface of the water. If placed above water, the feeder should be about 6-8 feet from the water.
Some extra tips: drill four separate holes that are about ¼” on the floor to allow proper drainage. You can also drill holes in the upper portion of the sides for ventilation. Do not paint on the interior or entry hole as well.
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