A pair of Hooded Mergansers Lophodytes cucullatus stopped on the pond for a few hours. They are "diving" ducks - - each dives totally under the water to eat vegetation. They also will eat small fish, aquatic insects, crayfish, amphibians, and mollusks. Their eyes are specially adapted to seeing underwater. They locate prey by sight, and propel themselves with their feet. Grasping prey underwater is easy with their long, slender, serrated bill.
