Hooded Merganser in April
Where hooded mergansers are in April, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
April in the Hooded Merganser's year
April is when spring migration hits its stride. Waves of migrants move north on warm southerly winds, wintering birds leave for good, and early nesters are already on eggs in the South. Every week brings species that weren't there the week before.
For the Hooded Merganser specifically, April is a spring month inside the nesting season — one of the most active and demanding periods of this bird's year. Across the 54 states and provinces where hooded mergansers occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where hooded mergansers are in April
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- year-round resident
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In April, hooded mergansers are absent in the South, year-round resident across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.
Nesting in April
April is inside the Hooded Merganser nesting season. Nest: tree cavity or nest box near water. Clutch 6–18 eggs, incubation 26–41 days, 1 per season.
The season is broadly synchronized across the range this month. During the nesting months, adults switch to protein-rich foods for their young, become more secretive around the nest site, and often visit feeders in quick, purposeful trips rather than lingering.
What to feed in April
- Minnows, crayfish and aquatic insects
Nests in tree cavities and wood-duck-style boxes near quiet wooded ponds and slow rivers.
Migrants arriving after long flights are hungry — feeders can be genuine lifelines during cold, wet spells that suppress insects.
Full Hooded Merganser diet guide → · Best feeder for hooded mergansers →
Watching hooded mergansers this month
In April, the best watching is around food rather than the nest — adults make repeated foraging trips and are most visible at dawn and dusk. Give nesting birds space: if a bird is carrying food or scolding you persistently, you're close to a nest and should back off.
If you have a Hooded Merganser box up, watch from a distance for comings and goings — steady traffic means an active nest — the box guide below has the exact hole size and mounting height this species needs.
Hooded Merganser month by month
Hooded Merganser by state
Frequently asked
Where are hooded mergansers in April?
In April, hooded mergansers are absent in the South, year-round resident across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do hooded mergansers nest in April?
Yes — April falls inside the Hooded Merganser nesting season at mid-latitudes.
What do hooded mergansers eat in April?
Minnows, crayfish and aquatic insects.
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
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.