Hooded Mergansers in Colorado
When hooded mergansers are present in Colorado, when they nest, which native Colorado plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–7b yard.
- Status in Colorado
- Winter visitor
- Nesting window
- Does not typically nest here
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3a–7b
When to expect hooded mergansers in Colorado
In Colorado, hooded mergansers are winter visitors rather than breeders. Cold snaps alternate with sunny, dry thaws; heated baths are valuable because natural water freezes nightly.
Semi-arid high plains in the east and the Rocky Mountains through the center, with most backyards between 5,000 and 7,000 ft.
Native Colorado plants that attract hooded mergansers
Of the regional native plants we track for Colorado, these 8 provide food or cover hooded mergansers use:
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat.
Acorns for jays and woodpeckers across the southern Rockies.
Late-season bloom supports insects; seed for sparrows.
Seed for crossbills, siskins and chickadees.
Early catkins draw insects for arriving warblers and hummingbirds.
Feeding hooded mergansers through the Colorado year
- Top foods: None — needs fish-bearing water.
- In Colorado's winter: Cold snaps alternate with sunny, dry thaws; heated baths are valuable because natural water freezes nightly.
Full diet breakdown for hooded mergansers · Best feeder for hooded mergansers
Frequently asked
Are hooded mergansers in Colorado year-round?
No. Hooded Mergansers are winter visitors in Colorado and do not typically nest there.
What native plants attract hooded mergansers in Colorado?
New England aster, Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, Rabbitbrush, Douglas fir, Willow (Bebb) are native plants in Colorado that provide food or cover for hooded mergansers.
Hooded Mergansers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Colorado
Sources
- Hooded Merganser — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Hooded Merganser life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Hooded Merganser — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Colorado
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.