How long do hooded mergansers live?
The oldest Hooded Merganser on record lived to 15.7 years, a record from a bird in captivity. That is a ceiling, not an average: most wild hooded mergansers live only a few years.
- Longest recorded lifespan
- 15.7 years
- Record from
- Bird in captivity
- Age at first breeding
- About 2 years
- Eggs per clutch
- 6–18 eggs
- Broods per year
- 1 per season
- Size
- 15.8–19.3 in, 16–31 oz
- Rank in family (of species on this site)
- 4 of 4
Record age versus typical age
Longevity records come from birds that were marked and later found again, usually through bird banding, or from birds kept in zoos. They show what a Hooded Merganser can survive to, not what most do. This one comes from captivity, where there are no predators, storms or food shortages, so wild hooded mergansers rarely come close.
For small birds, the first year is the hardest. Many eggs and nestlings are lost to predators and weather, and young birds that leave the nest still have to learn to find food and avoid hawks and cats. A bird that survives its first winter has a much better chance of living several more years. That is why average lifespans in the wild are short even when the record is long.
Hooded mergansers usually start breeding at about 2 years old. Each season a pair lays 6–18 eggs and raises 1 per season, with eggs taking 26–41 days to hatch.
How hooded mergansers compare with relatives
Oldest recorded ages for other ducks and geese on this site.
- Canada Goose42 years
- Mallard29.1 years
- Wood Duck22.5 years
More about hooded mergansers
Frequently asked
How long do hooded mergansers live?
The longest-lived Hooded Merganser on record reached 15.7 years, recorded from a bird in captivity. Most wild hooded mergansers live far shorter lives, because the majority of young birds don't survive their first year.
How old is a Hooded Merganser when it first breeds?
Usually about 2 years old.
What is the oldest Hooded Merganser ever recorded?
15.7 years, according to the AnAge longevity database.
How many young can a Hooded Merganser raise in a year?
Pairs lay 6–18 eggs and raise 1 per season.
Source: AnAge, The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources), record quality "acceptable", sample size "medium". genomics.senescence.info