This listing is for 1 pair (1 male, 1 female) of Hooded Merganser
Please read over the Terms and Conditions section before ordering.
All about the Hooded Merganser
The Hooded Merganser is a distinctively plumaged member of the sawbill group and a native to North America. The drakes are a striking combination of black, white and redish brown. The male’s outstanding feature is the black and white fan shaped crest that gives the bird its name sake. Males use their crest in courtship rituals and displays.
These birds are interesting and entertaining to watch during the breeding season. A court ship disply is shown in one of the pictures above.
A fish eating bird in the wild, Mergansers will need extra protein added to their captive diet. This may easily be accomplished by adding some floating catfish food to their feed. Our birds also enjoy this tossed in the water as an occasional treat. To be successful with this species you will need to provide them with a good quality of water. This is one species that will not do well with a small wading pool that may be adequate for many other ducks.Hooded Mergansers do not breed until their second year, and the drakes do not acquire their striking alternate plumage until their second fall.
Breeding season is in early spring and they will utilize a Wood Duck style nesting box. Clutches consist of 6-10 eggs and are incubated for about 29 days. We normally only get one clutch of eggs per year from our hens. These ducklings are delicate and can be quite challenging to rear, and are often "wet brooded" which means they are given swimming water from day one.
Because of the special housing and diet needs of this species, along with the difficultly of the young to raise, and the fact that they do not breed until 2 years of year, this is not a species that we would reccomend for the beginner.
Buying from Mallard Lane Farms
When you buy from us you are buying directly from the breeder, which saves you money!
All birds we sell ship directly from our farm , we do not use other farms to drop ship orders for us.
All birds we ship come with our "Live Arrival Guarantee" which is one of the best shipping guarantees in the business.
Rest assured that you can contact the breeder should you have questions. We are knowledgeable breeders of every bird we sell and all birds come with email support for any questions or concerns you may have about your new birds for the entire lifetime of those birds.
Mallard Lane Farms is a NPIP approved farm and is certified AI clean.
Our NPIP # is 63-312.
We hold state and federal permits for the sale of wild waterfowl. Federal paperwork will be sent with all species that require it.
Hooded Merganser pair
- Before completing your order please read over our shipping policies and the conditions of our "Live Arrival Guarantee" for the shipping option that is available to you according to the time of year you are placing your order.
Orders placed August 1st - April 30th
Orders placed May 1st-July 31st
Please also read over all of information contained in this listing.
Initialing the box above constitutes, knowledge, acceptance and understanding of all policies and/or information contained in this listing and on the shipping info pages listed above. If you have any questions please email us with them @ mallardlanefarms@gmail.com before completing your order.