Bird
Hooded Merganser
Lophodytes cucullatus
Lives in Alabama all year and nests here. Found in all 67 counties, across 17 habitats.
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 67 counties
- Habitats
- 17

At a glance
- Group
- Birds
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 67 counties
- Habitats
- 17
- Habitat models
- Summer, Winter
Where it lives
The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.
Habitats in Alabama 17
Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.



Open sand of beaches, dunes and the hollows between them.
Dense, evergreen groves of live oak, magnolia and other hardwoods in the southern Coastal Plain, from dry oak domes to wet hydric hammocks and south Florida's tropical hammocks; salt-shaped maritime hammocks are maritime forests.
Disturbed and introduced wetlands
Wet ground taken over by weedy or introduced plants after disturbance, such as common reed, Chinese tallow or tamarisk stands; the upland counterpart is roadsides, fields and disturbed ground.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.
Flat, poorly drained uplands and terraces with oaks, sweetgum and sometimes loblolly pine, wet in winter and dry in summer, but neither a floodplain nor a swamp.
Coastal marshes flooded by salty or brackish tides.
Salt and brackish open water of sounds, bays and estuaries, with the mud and sand flats and seagrass beds that tides cover and uncover; the vegetated marsh is salt and brackish marshes.
Streams, rivers and their banks
Flowing water and its banks, bars and rocky shoals.
Glades, barrens and outcrops on limestone


Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.
Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.
Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.
Flat, sandy Coastal Plain pine woodlands, wetter than sandhills and denser than savannas.
Other habitats in its models (114)
Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Alabama.
- Unconsolidated Shore (Lake/River/Pond) Winter.
- Unconsolidated Shore Winter.
- Central and Southern Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Hardwood Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest-Hardwood Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Juniper Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest - Xeric Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Ouachita Montane Oak Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Bluff Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loess Bluff Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry and Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Central and South Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Mississippi River Alluvial Plain Dry-Mesic Loess Slope Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- East-Central Texas Plains Post Oak Savanna and Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- East-Central Texas Plains Riparian Forest Summer.
- Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Lower Mississippi River Dune Woodland and Forest Summer.
- Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Southern Crowley's Ridge Mesic Loess Slope Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- South-Central Interior / Upper Coastal Plain Flatwoods Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Ozark-Ouachita Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Hardwood Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Woodland Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Virginia/Pitch Pine Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Loblolly Pine Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest - Offsite Pine Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Pine Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest - Pine modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-Heath Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Central Interior Highlands Dry Acidic Glade and Barrens Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Central Appalachian Oak and Pine Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Appalachian Hemlock-Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir-Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Central Appalachian Pine-Oak Rocky Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Northern Crowley's Ridge Sand Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood and Mixed Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Open Understory Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-Line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Southern Appalachian Montane Pine Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- East-Central Texas Plains Pine Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Central and Southern Appalachian Spruce-Fir Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- North-Central Interior Oak Savanna Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Central Appalachian Alkaline Glade and Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Xeric River Dune Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Dune and Maritime Grassland Winter.
- Southwest Florida Dune and Coastal Grassland Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Indian River Lagoon Tidal Marsh Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Salt and Brackish Marsh Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Tidal Salt Marsh Winter.
- Florida Big Bend Salt-Brackish Tidal Marsh Winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Pine Modifier Summer.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Clethra Modifier Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Herbaceous Wetland Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Large Natural Lakeshore Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Tidal Wooded Swamp Summer and winter.
- Floridian Highlands Freshwater Marsh Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Freshwater Marsh Summer and winter.
- Florida Big Bend Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Fresh and Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Winter.
- South Florida Bayhead Swamp Winter.
- Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Taxodium/Nyssa Modifier Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Oak Dominated Modifier Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Forested Wetland Summer and winter.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Bog and Fen Summer and winter.
- Lower Mississippi River Bottomland Depressions - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
- Central Florida Herbaceous Pondshore Winter.
- Mississippi River Bottomland Depression Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
- Central Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Herbaceous Modifier Summer and winter.
- South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Herbaceous Modifier Summer and winter.
- Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Summer.
- Mississippi River Riparian Forest Summer and winter.
- Mississippi River Low Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Brownwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- Red River Large Floodplain Forest Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- Mississippi River Floodplain and Riparian Forest Summer.
- Ozark-Ouachita Riparian Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Central Atlantic Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Wet Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Summer.
- Central Florida Pine Flatwoods Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- North-Central Interior Wet Flatwoods Summer.
- Lower Mississippi River Flatwoods Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Seasons in Alabama
- Year-round: nests here, in all 67 counties.
- Winter: does not nest here, in 2 of 67 counties.
Also found in this habitat
Plants 1075
Plants named in NatureServe descriptions of these habitats that grow in Alabama. Shared habitat, not food.
- Red MapleAcer rubrum
- SweetgumLiquidambar styraciflua
- TuliptreeLiriodendron tulipifera
- Pignut HickoryCarya glabra
- White OakQuercus alba
- Poison-ivyToxicodendron radicans
- White AshFraxinus americana
- American BeechFagus grandifolia
- Southern Red OakQuercus falcata
- Post OakQuercus stellata
- Flowering DogwoodCornus florida
- Shagbark HickoryCarya ovata
- Mockernut HickoryCarya tomentosa
- BlackgumNyssa sylvatica
- Water OakQuercus nigra
- Black OakQuercus velutina
- Serenoa repensSerenoa repens
- Florida MapleAcer floridanum
- Mountain LaurelKalmia latifolia
- Northern SpicebushLindera benzoin
- Virginia CreeperParthenocissus quinquefolia
- Loblolly PinePinus taeda
- Cherrybark OakQuercus pagoda
- Shumard OakQuercus shumardii
Wildlife 253
Other animals whose habitat models include the same habitats in Alabama. Not sighting records.
- White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrys
- WilletTringa semipalmata
- Wilson's WarblerWilsonia pusilla
- DunlinCalidris alpina
- Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreus
- Horned LarkEremophila alpestris
- KilldeerCharadrius vociferus
- Nelson's Sharp-tailed SparrowAmmodramus nelsoni
- Purple MartinProgne subis
- Red KnotCalidris canutus
- Snowy PloverCharadrius nivosus
- Thayer's GullLarus thayeri
- Western Snowy PloverCharadrius nivosus nivosus
- Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax traillii
- Black TernChlidonias niger
- Black-bellied PloverPluvialis squatarola
- Blackburnian WarblerDendroica fusca
- BobolinkDolichonyx oryzivorus
- BuffleheadBucephala albeola
- Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula
- Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicus
- Le Conte's SparrowAmmodramus leconteii
- Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoa
- Red-cockaded WoodpeckerPicoides borealis
NatureServe Explorer, CC BY 4.0. USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models.
Sources
- USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models (2001)
- USGS GAP winter habitat model for Hooded Merganser
- USGS Gap Analysis Project range maps (2001), modeled by watershed; migratory gives no dates
- NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0), habitat names
- US Census TIGER/Line counties
- Names follow the USGS Gap Analysis Project (2001)














































