Lophodytes cucullatus

Hooded Merganser - a bird of very striking appearance. Especially in the male. Both male and female show a crest but the male has the jet black crest with large white patches. The crest is raised during courtship. A few of these birds are seen in the wild in Europe from time to time, but being a native of North America, these are considered to be escapes. These were photographed at a reserve in Staffordshire UK.