Hooded Merganser: The Breeding map places the hooded merganser solidly in the area of Ontario, Canada. There are also possible sightings all throughout the upper Midwest as well as New England. The Hooded Merganser is part of the duck family. While they may be found throughout their range, they are most commonly found in the Great Lakes area. This is an uneven distribution. Their habitat consists of mainly forested freshwater wetlands (Allaboutbird.org). While in these forested wetlands, they make their nests in tree cavities. If they nest in tree-less wetlands, then they make nests in artificial nest boxes created by humans. This bird is called secretive and “overlooked” because it resides in swamps and wooded areas, such as rivers and ponds (Kaufman).…show more content… It eats fish, as well as snakes and frogs. It is also known to eat rodents and other birds (Kaufman). This diet allows the Great Blue Heron to spend its winters further north, giving it an advantage over other birds. Given its variable diet, wide distribution throughout its range, and habitat adaptability, it is clear that the Great Blue Heron is a generalist.
Wood Stork: The Breeding map shows some possible sightings of the Wood Stork in Florida. Its range is the southern part of the United States, particularly Florida, southern parts of Georgia, and South Carolina (Kaufman). It is mostly present in South America, making its range rather large. However, it is considered a “threatened” species, so, it does not have a wide distribution (ECOS). The habitat of the Wood Stork consists mainly of marshes and swamps, ditches, and flooded farmland (Kaufman). The Wood Stork usually makes her nest in trees near water (ADW).
The Wood stork has a diet consisting mostly of fish. It is also known to eat frogs, as well as baby alligators. Due to its reliance on mostly fish, its classification as a “threatened” species, and its limited distribution, I would call the Wood Stork a
