Bird

Hooded Merganser

Lophodytes cucullatus

Lives in Florida 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

Male Hooded Merganser, whole bird — **Male**. (c) Justin Flint, some rights reserved (CC BY). CC BY. iNaturalist photo 243821467. iNaturalist large derivative; no local crop or retouch.

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 Florida 17

Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 17

WinterUnconsolidated Shore (Beach/Dune); Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Dune and Maritime Grassland; Southwest Florida Dune and Coastal Grassland; East Gulf Coastal Plain Dune and Coastal Grassland; Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain Interdunal WetlandGeorge Catlin, White Sand Bluffs, on Santa Rosa Island, Near Pensacola (1834-35): high white dunes with scattered clumps of dune plants above the Gulf. Santa Rosa Island near Pensacola, FloridaWhite Sand Bluffs, on Santa Rosa Island, Near Pensacola, George Catlin (1796-1872), 1834-1835. Public domain. Source record.

SummerSouthern Coastal Plain Oak Dome and Hammock; Southern Coastal Plain Hydric HammockWinslow Homer, In the Jungle, Florida (1904): cabbage palms, saw palmetto and fallen trunks in a dense, shady hammock, with a wildcat in the branches. Regional view: the painting does not name the exact site. Florida (Winslow Homer, In the Jungle, Florida, 1904)*In the Jungle, Florida*, Winslow Homer, 1904. Public domain. Source record.

SummerWinterSouthern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Nupea Modifier; Floridian Highlands Freshwater MarshMartin Johnson Heade, The Great Florida Marsh (1886): open marsh and lily-dotted water beneath live oaks and cabbage palms. Regional view: the painting does not name the exact site. Florida (Heade, The Great Florida Marsh, 1886; North Carolina Museum of Art)*The Great Florida Marsh*, Martin Johnson Heade, 1886. Public domain. Source record.

SummerEast Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier; East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier; Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Wet Pine Savanna and Flatwoods; Central Florida Pine Flatwoods; East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine FlatwoodsGeorge Inness, Georgia Pines (1890): tall, straight pines over an open, grassy floor in a south Georgia pine woods. Regional view: the painting does not name the exact site. Shown: Georgia pine woods (George Inness, 1890; site not named), a neighboring state.Georgia Pines, George Inness (1825-1894), 1890. Public domain. Source record.

SummerAtlantic Coastal Plain Southern Wet Pine Savanna and FlatwoodsGeorge Catlin, Beautiful Savannah in the Pine Woods of Florida (1834-35): an open grassy savanna with a shallow pond, ringed by tall pines, with palmettos and red wildflowers. Regional view: the painting does not name the exact site. Pine woods of Florida (George Catlin, 1834-35; Smithsonian American Art Museum)*Beautiful Savannah in the Pine Woods of Florida*, George Catlin, 1834-1835. Public domain. Source record.

SummerWinterOpen Water (Fresh); Atlantic Coastal Plain Large Natural LakeshoreMartin Johnson Heade, Florida Sunrise: still water and a palm-fringed shore glowing at dawn. Regional view: the painting does not name the exact site. Florida (Heade, Florida Sunrise, c. 1890-1900)*Florida Sunrisetitle QS:P1476,en:"Florida Sunrise"label QS:Len,"Florida Sunrise"*, Martin Johnson Heade, c. 1890-1900. Public domain. Source record.

WinterOpen Water (Brackish/Salt)Thomas Moran, Fort George Island (1878): a tidal shore of wet sand and shallow water at the river mouth, with cabbage palms and a beached ship. Fort George Island, Florida (Thomas Moran, 1878; Smithsonian American Art Museum)*Fort George Island, Florida*, Thomas Moran, 1878. Public domain. Source record.

SummerWinterSouthern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Taxodium Modifier; Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Bay/Gum Modifier; Southern Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall; East Gulf Coastal Plain Tidal Wooded Swamp; Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Tidal Wooded Swamp; South Florida Bayhead Swamp; Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp; Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Cypress DomeFlorida, Sunset on the Ocklawaha (1899): a dark swamp-lined river at sunset, with cypress and hardwoods crowding both banks. Ocklawaha River, FloridaFlorida, Sunset on the Ocklawaha, Detroit Photographic Co. (chromolithograph), 1899. Public domain. Source record.

Depression ponds and limesinks

Shallow ponds in Coastal Plain depressions, such as limesinks and the ponds in some Carolina bays, that rise and fall with the seasons.

WinterCentral Florida Herbaceous Pondshore

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.

Summer

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

SummerWinterAtlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier; East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier; Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest; East Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Floodplain Forest; Southern Coastal Plain Blackwater River Floodplain Forest

Freshwater tidal marshes

Marshes along tidal rivers where the water is fresh but rises and falls with the tide.

WinterFlorida Big Bend Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh; Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh

Salt and brackish marshes

Coastal marshes flooded by salty or brackish tides.

WinterAtlantic Coastal Plain Central Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh; Atlantic Coastal Plain Indian River Lagoon Tidal Marsh; Mississippi Sound Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh; Florida Big Bend Salt-Brackish Tidal Marsh

Seeps and springs

Places where groundwater keeps the soil or rock wet, such as seepage slopes and spring runs.

SummerSouthern Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall

Dry forests and woodlands

Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.

SummerOnly within 60 m of water.Southern Coastal Plain Dry Upland Hardwood Forest

Moist forests

Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.

SummerOnly within 60 m of water.East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Mesic Slope Forest

Sandhills

Dry, deep-sand ridges with longleaf pine and turkey oak, kept open by fire.

SummerOnly within 60 m of water.Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Open Understory Modifier

Other habitats in its models (125)

Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Florida. Those recorded in Florida first, the rest by region.

In Florida 1

Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.

Elsewhere in the South (59)

Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry and Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Freshwater Marsh Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Salt and Brackish Marsh Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood and Mixed Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Brownwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Xeric River Dune Winter.
Central and South Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Central and Southern Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Central and Southern Appalachian Spruce-Fir Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Central Atlantic Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Summer.
Central Interior Highlands Calcareous Glade and Barrens Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Central Interior Highlands Dry Acidic Glade and Barrens Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Cumberland Riverscour Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Limestone Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood 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 Northern Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loblolly-Hardwood Flatwoods Summer, only within 60 m of water.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loess Bluff Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
East-Central Texas Plains Pine Forest and Woodland 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.
Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Lower Mississippi River Dune Woodland and Forest Summer.
Lower Mississippi River Flatwoods Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Mississippi River Alluvial Plain Dry-Mesic Loess Slope Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Mississippi River Bottomland Depression Summer.
Mississippi River Low Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest Summer and winter.
Mississippi River Riparian Forest Summer and winter.
Northern Crowley's Ridge Sand Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Ouachita Montane Oak Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Ozark-Ouachita Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Ozark-Ouachita Riparian Summer.
Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Red River Large Floodplain Forest Summer.
Ridge and Valley Calcareous Valley Bottom Glade and Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
South-Central Interior / Upper Coastal Plain Flatwoods Summer, only within 60 m of water.
South-Central Interior / Upper Coastal Plain Wet Flatwoods Summer.
South-Central Interior Large Floodplain Summer.
South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian Summer and winter.
Southeastern Interior Longleaf Pine Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Southern and Central Appalachian Bog and Fen Summer and winter.
Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Southern Appalachian Low Mountain Pine Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Southern Appalachian Montane Pine Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Southern Crowley's Ridge Mesic Loess Slope Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Southern Piedmont Small Floodplain and Riparian Forest Summer and winter.
Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.

Northeast (11)

Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir-Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Appalachian Hemlock-Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Fresh and Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Tidal Salt Marsh Winter.
Central Appalachian Alkaline Glade and Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Central Appalachian Oak and Pine Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Central Appalachian Pine-Oak Rocky Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
North-Central Interior Wet Flatwoods Summer.
Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest Summer.
Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.

Midwest (5)

North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
North-Central Interior Dry 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 Maple-Basswood Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
North-Central Interior Oak Savanna Summer, only within 60 m of water.

Land cover and other classes (49)

Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Hardwood Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Pine Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Forested Wetland Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Herbaceous Wetland Summer and winter.
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 - Offsite Hardwood 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.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Oak Dominated Modifier Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Taxodium/Nyssa Modifier Summer and winter.
Central Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
Central Interior and Appalachian Floodplain Systems Summer.
Central Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems Summer.
Central Interior and Appalachian Swamp Systems Summer.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Herbaceous 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.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Hardwood 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.
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 - Offsite Hardwood 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.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Jackson Plain Dry Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Herbaceous Modifier Summer and winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Offsite Hardwood 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.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - 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.
Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Summer.
Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Lower Mississippi River Bottomland Depressions - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
Mississippi River Floodplain and Riparian Forest Summer.
Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Virginia/Pitch Pine Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest-Hardwood Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Herbaceous Modifier Summer and winter.
Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest - Xeric Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Clethra Modifier Summer.
Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Pine Modifier Summer.
Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Hardwood Modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Loblolly Pine 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.
Southern Piedmont Large Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
Southern Piedmont/Ridge and Valley Upland Depression Swamp Summer.
Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest - Pine modifier Summer, only within 60 m of water.
Unconsolidated Shore Winter.
Unconsolidated Shore (Lake/River/Pond) Winter.

All habitats

Seasons in Florida

Year-round: nests here, in 21 of 67 counties.
Winter: does not nest here, in 65 of 67 counties.

Also found in its main habitats

Its main habitats in Florida, by how much of its habitat model each one is, with the birds most characteristic of each and the plants that grow wild there. Shared habitat, not food.

Hooded Merganser uses many habitats in Florida; these are its 3 most characteristic.