This handsome, young Hooded Merganser was caught in a net – but not in the usual way. It was found earlier this month in the netting surrounding the golf course at Pt. Hueneme Navy Base in Oxnard, CA. Using a cherry picker, a local biologist tried to extricate the bird, but was unable to get to him from the right side of the net. The young bird ended up dislodging himself and falling to the ground, but fortunately was relatively unharmed.
Thanks to our friends at Santa Barbara Wildlife Network for stabilizing the merganser before it was transported to our Los Angeles Wildlife Center in San Pedro. It had a luxated (dislocated) toe tip and recuperating in one of our pelagic pools.
Hooded Mergansers are diving ducks and the smallest of three merganser species. Named for their elegant head crests, these little ducks are found in small ponds and along rivers hunting for fish, crayfish, and more. Read more on the Audubon site
Hooded Merganser photo by Katrina Plummer
Thank you for sharing such a nice post on bird netting & pictures are very catchy which are easy to easy to understand.