New Brunswick · Year-round resident

Hooded Mergansers in New Brunswick

When hooded mergansers are present in New Brunswick, when they nest, which native New Brunswick plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canada 3a–5b yard.

Ducks and geese (Anatidae)Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatus

Status in New Brunswick: Year-round resident
Nesting window: March–May
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: Canada 3a–5b
Nest box: 4 × 3 in oval hole, 10 × 18 in floor, 6–20 ft

When to expect hooded mergansers in New Brunswick

Hooded Mergansers live in New Brunswick all year. Cold, snowy winters. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.

Humid continental with Bay of Fundy and Gulf of St. Lawrence coastlines and extensive forest.

Nesting in New Brunswick

Across New Brunswick, hooded mergansers typically nest from March–May. Plan around that window: February for setup, May for clean-out.

Mild summers.

Have boxes cleaned and mounted before February — hooded mergansers begin prospecting ahead of egg-laying.
Use a 4 × 3 in oval entrance on a 10 × 18 in floor, mounted 6–20 ft.
Fit a pole baffle or hole guard; ventilation gaps and drainage holes are essential.
Clean out old nests after each brood and again after May.

Native New Brunswick plants that attract hooded mergansers

Of the regional native plants we track for New Brunswick, these 8 provide food or cover hooded mergansers use:

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Arrowwood viburnum

Viburnum dentatum · Shrub

Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.

New England aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae · Perennial

Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Eastern white pine

Pinus strobus · Tree

Seed-rich cones and year-round shelter.

Feeding hooded mergansers through the New Brunswick year

Top foods: None — needs fish-bearing water.
In New Brunswick's winter: Cold, snowy winters.

Full diet breakdown for hooded mergansers · Best feeder for hooded mergansers

Frequently asked

Are hooded mergansers in New Brunswick year-round?

Yes. Hooded Mergansers are year-round residents in New Brunswick.

When do hooded mergansers nest in New Brunswick?

Nesting in New Brunswick typically runs March–May, with 1 per season. Clutches are 6–18 eggs, incubated for 26–41 days.

What native plants attract hooded mergansers in New Brunswick?

Serviceberry, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, New England aster, Tall goldenrod, Eastern white pine are native plants in New Brunswick that provide food or cover for hooded mergansers.

What size birdhouse hole do hooded mergansers need?

4 × 3 in oval, with a floor of 10 × 18 in mounted 6–20 ft.

Other backyard birds in New Brunswick

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Indigo Bunting Gray Catbird Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Canada Jay American Crow Common Raven Cooper's Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Barred Owl Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Wood Duck Wild Turkey Mallard Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Scarlet Tanager Brown-headed Cowbird Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Winter Wren Pine Grosbeak Red Crossbill Gray Catbird Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Black-and-white Warbler Ovenbird Orange-crowned Warbler Palm Warbler Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo Eastern Wood-Pewee Least Flycatcher Cliff Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Eastern Whip-poor-will Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper American Woodcock Green Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Black-backed Woodpecker American Three-toed Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Horned Lark Common Redpoll Hoary Redpoll White-winged Crossbill Bohemian Waxwing Bobolink Rusty Blackbird Rock Pigeon

Sources

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.