Hooded Merganser male

This is a male Hooded Merganser (uncommon in Alberta) that flew in and landed on a large patch of open water in the lagoon at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary on 17 March 2011. Such beautiful birds with the white crest edged in black. This can be raised, as in this image, or lowered. He looks quite spectacular in his breeding plumage. Not the best photo, but I only have a few photos of this species.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hooded_Merganser/id

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hooded_Merganser