With most birds the shape of their heads is a constant, but with Hooded Mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus), the shape can be wildly variable. I am not really sure how of the bird’s anatomy, but the “hood” appears to be pretty floppy, creating the effect of multiple “hairstyles.” Here are a few of the styles that a male Hooded Merganser was sporting during a brief period last week at a local suburban pond.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
These ducks always crack me up. I love their “hair”.
I envy his ability to have different styles. My remaining hair doesn’t give me many options 🙂
I am in the same boat., but at least it lets me save money on hair products. 🙂
Such a handsome bird!
These are really striking birds.
Hooded Mergansers (like this one) and the equally striking Wood Ducks are probably my favorite ducks to photograph. They both can be a challenge, though, because they can be extremely skittish.
Hair! And no spray products or gels.