Bird
Hooded Merganser
Lophodytes cucullatus
Lives in Mississippi all year and nests here. Found in all 82 counties, across 15 habitats.
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 82 counties
- Habitats
- 15

At a glance
- Group
- Birds
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 82 counties
- Habitats
- 15
- Habitat models
- Summer, Winter
Where it lives
The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.
Habitats in Mississippi 15
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.
Open, herb-covered wetlands with fresh, non-tidal water.
Still water and its edges: ponds, lakes, millponds and reservoirs.
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.
Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.
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.
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.
Open, grass-dominated places kept open by fire, grazing or thin soil, from tallgrass prairie to Piedmont prairies.
Other habitats in its models (130)
Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Mississippi. Those recorded in Mississippi first, the rest by region.
Elsewhere in the South (67)
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh 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 Indian River Lagoon Tidal Marsh Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Large Natural Lakeshore Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood and Mixed Forest Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Brownwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Dune and Maritime Grassland Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Tidal Wooded Swamp Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Wet Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- 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 Florida Herbaceous Pondshore Winter.
- Central Florida Pine Flatwoods Summer, only within 60 m of water.
- 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-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.
- Florida Big Bend Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Winter.
- Florida Big Bend Salt-Brackish Tidal Marsh Winter.
- Floridian Highlands Freshwater Marsh Winter.
- 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.
- 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 Florida Bayhead Swamp Winter.
- 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 Coastal Plain Hydric Hammock Summer.
- 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.
- Southwest Florida Dune and Coastal Grassland Winter.
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 (47)
- 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 Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
- 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 - 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 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 - 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.
- 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.
Seasons in Mississippi
- Year-round: nests here, in all 82 counties.
- Winter: does not nest here, in 6 of 82 counties.
Also found in its main habitats
Its main habitats in Mississippi, 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 Mississippi; these are its 3 most characteristic.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Birds 99
- VeeryCatharus fuscescens
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
- Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax traillii
- Kentucky WarblerOporornis formosus
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
- Swainson's WarblerLimnothlypis swainsonii
- Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus
- OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapilla
- Worm-eating WarblerHelmitheros vermivorum
- Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius
Plants 346
- Elliott's BlueberryVaccinium elliottii
- White Panicled Aster; Eastern Lined AsterSymphyotrichum lanceolatum var. latifolium
- Possumhaw HollyIlex decidua
- Cherrybark OakQuercus pagoda
- Appalachian Orange ConeflowerRudbeckia fulgida var. umbrosa
- Shagbark HickoryCarya ovata
- Southern Shagbark HickoryCarya carolinae-septentrionalis
- Spruce Pine; Walters Pine; Cedar PinePinus glabra
- Blunt Broom SedgeCarex tribuloides
- Louisiana SedgeCarex louisianica
- Smooth Hedge-nettleStachys tenuifolia
- Common Cup-plantSilphium perfoliatum
Swamps
Birds 110
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- Kentucky WarblerOporornis formosus
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
- Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianus
- Seaside SparrowAmmodramus maritimus
- Swainson's WarblerLimnothlypis swainsonii
- Wilson's PloverCharadrius wilsonia
- Eurasian WigeonAnas penelope
- Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicus
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres
- Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius
Plants 291
- Black Highbush BlueberryVaccinium fuscatum
- Dahoon HollyIlex cassine
- Carolina AshFraxinus caroliniana
- Dense-flower SmartweedPersicaria densiflora
- Water HickoryCarya aquatica
- Swamp TupeloNyssa biflora
- Bent SedgeCarex styloflexa
- Cypress-swamp SedgeCarex joorii
- Dark-green SedgeCarex venusta
- Fringed SedgeCarex crinita
- Ravenfoot SedgeCarex crus-corvi
- Southern Long SedgeCarex lonchocarpa
Ponds, lakes and their shores
Birds 83
- Black TernChlidonias niger
- BuffleheadBucephala albeola
- Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula
- Snowy PloverCharadrius nivosus
- Western Snowy PloverCharadrius nivosus nivosus
- Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsii
- Interior Least TernSternula antillarum athalassos
- Purple MartinProgne subis
- Thayer's GullLarus thayeri
- American White PelicanPelecanus erythrorhynchos
- Black SkimmerRynchops niger
- Cliff SwallowPetrochelidon pyrrhonota
Plants 200
- Hypericum myrtifoliumHypericum myrtifolium
- Mudbank CrowngrassPaspalum dissectum
- West Indian BeakrushRhynchospora brachychaeta
- Eleocharis flavescens var. flavescensEleocharis flavescens var. flavescens
- Eleocharis minimaEleocharis minima
- Pale Spike RushEleocharis olivacea var. olivacea
- Swamp MilkwortSenega appendiculata
- Common BladderwortUtricularia macrorhiza
- Ceratopteris pteridoidesCeratopteris pteridoides
- Fuirena longaFuirena longa
- Water TupeloNyssa aquatica
- Hypericum brachyphyllumHypericum brachyphyllum
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)

















































