10,000 Birds | What is a Merganser? What is a Merganser? 21 Comments One of the sweetest subsections of the duck family has to be the sawbills, formally known as mergansers. Mergansers are a family of diving waterfowl in Merginae, the seaduck subfamily of Anatidae. Ironically, only one of these seaducks is truly a seafarer, the others favoring rivers and lakes. The name ‘merganser’ is said to have originated with the German naturalist, Gesner in the mid-16th century. This comes from a combination of the Latin words mergus (diver) and anser (goose). Mergansers are sometimes referred to sawbills because of their long, serrated bills. These narrow bills, hooked at the tip and set with numerous horny denticulations, are adapted for catching fish, a merganser’s primary source of food. Mergansers primarily feed on small or medium-sized fishes which they capture underwater by swift pursuit. These divers also supplement their piscine diet with frogs and aquatic insects. Notice the sawbill?

Common Merganser female by John Borg There are six living species of mergansers, three of which are commonly spotted in North America: The Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) ranges widely throughout the northern hemisphere. The name “Common Merganser” has always seemed like something of a misnomer since it isn’t particularly common during most of the year (although every winter I find huge flocks outside my office building!) Goosander, which is what this species is called in Europe, may be a more accurate alternative, although Mergus merganser doesn’t really resemble a goose either. The drakes are quite striking, snowy white along its flanks, breast, and tail with head and neck covered in green plumage of such surpassing depth that it appears black. Common Merganser male by John Borg Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) is the marine merganser. It is also a bold world traveler, plying icy waters where usually only scoters and eiders dare to tread.

While all mergansers are swift fliers, the red-breast holds the avian record for fastest level-flight at 100 mph (that’s 161 km/h!) Red-breasted Merganser by Corey Finger When is a merganser not a merganser? Perhaps when it doesn’t fall in the genus Mergus. However, the Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) is so handsome, the drake flaunting a white, fan-shaped, black-bordered crest, a black body with chestnut flanks, and white breast with vivid vertical black stripes, that any family of fish ducks would be pleased to claim it. Anyway, the hoodie is the only merganser endemic to North America. Male and female Hooded Mergansers by Corey Finger The Smew (Mergellus albellus) also falls outside the genus Mergus, so far in fact that it has been known to interbreed with Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula). This atypical merganser, which favors the coniferous reaches of Eurasia, is the smallest of all sawbills.

The Chinese Merganser (Mergus squamatus) is also known as the Scaly-sided Merganser, with good reason; this dashing duck resembles a goosander with a wispy topknot and fish scales along its flanks. While this merganser does maintain a strong presence in China throughout the year, it may breed as far north as Russia and winter as far south as Thailand. It is also a species in rapid decline, considered vulnerable by some authorities and endangered by others. Chinese Mergansers do not exhibit the gregarious nature common in most ducks, usually appearing in solitary pairs or very small flocks. The most threatened of all mergansers is the Brazilian Merganser (Mergus octosetaceus). The sole sawbill of the Southern Hemisphere is down to 200-250 birds extant mainly because the habitat it requires is equally threatened. With hope, this bird will not go the way of its extinct cousin, the Auckland Islands Merganser (Mergus australis). The Brazilian Merganser is rather drab by merganser standards but it does possess truly vibrant vermilion legs.

Richard Crossley has seen a few Hooded Mergansers in his day… Mike Mike is a leading authority in the field of standardized test preparation , but he's also a traveler who fully expects to see every bird in the world. Besides founding 10,000 Birds, Mike has also created a number of other entertaining but now extirpated nature blog resources, particularly the Nature Blog Network and I and the Bird . Share This Article Common Merganser, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology Typical Voice Size & Shape These are large, long-bodied ducks with thin, pointed wings. Their bills are straight and narrow, unlike the wide, flat bill of a “typical” duck. Females have shaggy crests on the backs of their heads. Color Pattern Adult males are crisply patterned with gleaming white bodies and dark, iridescent-green heads. The back is black and the bill red. Females and immatures are gray-bodied with a white chest and rusty-cinnamon heads. In flight, both sexes show large white patches on the upperwings (larger in adult males). Behavior Common Mergansers dive underwater to catch fish.

After the chicks leave the nest in summer, the female stays with them as they grow up while males gather in flocks. In winter, mergansers form large flocks on inland reservoirs and rivers. They stay in these tight flocks to feed and court during the cold months. In migration and winter, they mix with other fish-eating, diving ducks such as Bufflehead, goldeneyes, and other species of mergansers. Habitat These ducks live mainly on freshwater rivers and lakes. They are rare in the ocean, but they sometimes use saltwater estuaries in winter. They nest in tree cavities in northern forests near rivers and lakes. Common Merganser | Audubon Field Guide Ducks and Geese Habitat Wooded lakes, rivers; in winter, rarely coastal bays. Mainly around fresh water at all seasons. Summer: on shallow but clear rivers and lakes in forested country; avoids dense marshes and muddy waters. Winter: on lakes, large rivers; occasionally on bays along coast. This fish-eating duck is the typical merganser of freshwater lakes. Its flocks are usually small, but these may combine into big concentrations sometimes at large reservoirs.

Common Mergansers living along rivers may spend hours resting on rocks or on shore. The British call this bird the "Goosander." In some parts of Europe, with artificial nesting sites provided, the species has become a common nesting bird along city waterfronts; this has not yet happened in North America. Photo Gallery Feeding Behavior forages by diving and swimming underwater, propelled by its feet, stroking with both feet in unison. Finds most food by sight; may swim along surface, dipping head underwater repeatedly until prey is spotted, then diving in pursuit. Eggs 8-11, sometimes 6-13. Pale buff. Females often lay eggs in each others' nests. Incubation is by female only, 30-35 days. Young: May remain in nest a day or more after hatching; then they climb to cavity entrance and jump to ground. Female tends young birds for several weeks, but young feed themselves; they may survive even if abandoned quite early. Young are capable of flight about 65-70 days after hatching. Young May remain in nest a day or more after hatching; then they climb to cavity entrance and jump to ground.

Female tends young birds for several weeks, but young feed themselves; they may survive even if abandoned quite early. Young are capable of flight about 65-70 days after hatching. Diet mostly fish. Eats a wide variety of fish; also will eat mussels, shrimp, salamanders, rarely plant material. Adult males may swallow fish more than 1 foot long. Young ducklings eat mostly aquatic insects. Nesting Courtship displays of male include swimming very rapidly in circles near female; suddenly stretching neck upward, pointing bill straight up, and giving soft call. Nest site is near water, usually in large tree cavity; also in crevices in rock, in holes under tree roots or undercut banks, or in nest boxes. Occasionally in buildings. Nest of wood chips or debris in cavity, plus lining of down. Common Merganser Common Merganser Hover over to view. Click to enlarge. Common Merganser Anseriformes The swans, geese and ducks are mid-sized to large birds most commonly found on or near water. Most have plump bodies, long necks and short wings.

Most feed while on the water, diving or merely tilting their bodies so that their heads and necks are submerged to search for fish, plants and invertebrates. Washington representatives of the order all belong to one family: Family: Anatidae The waterfowl family is represented in Washington by two distinct groups—the geese and swans, and the ducks. Whistling-ducks are also considered a distinct subfamily, and, although they have not been sighted in Washington in many years, Fulvous Whistling-Ducks have been recorded historically in Washington and remain on the official state checklist. All members of the waterfowl family have large clutches of precocial young. They hatch covered in down and can swim and eat on their own almost immediately after hatching. Status: Maps General Description The Common Merganser is a fish-eating duck that rides low in the water on freshwater lakes and rivers. The male in breeding plumage has a white belly, breast, and flanks with a gray rump and black back. The crestless head is dark green, the bill is red, and the eye is dark. The female Common Merganser has a solid gray body with a reddish-brown head.

She has a narrow, red, serrate bill and white chin-patch at the base of the lower mandible. The short crest of the female is often not obvious. The male in non-breeding plumage is similar to the female, with some white on his back. Juveniles are also similar, but have a white bar across the face. Habitat Range-wide, Common Mergansers prefer fresh water in all seasons. They use deep, clear, forested lakes, reservoirs, and rivers for breeding. In winter, they occupy similar habitat, as well as bays, coastal estuaries, and harbors. They frequent salt-water habitats in Washington in the winter. Behavior Common Mergansers often form large rafts, or floating flocks, in the winter. They dive and swim under water, finding most of their food by sight. Diet Fish make up the majority of the diet of adult birds. Aquatic insects are a primary source of food for young birds. Mussels, crustaceans, and other aquatic creatures are also eaten. Nesting Females usually start breeding in their second year. Pair bonds form in late winter or early spring.

Nests are located near water, usually in a large tree cavity, but may also be in rock crevices, under tree roots, and in nest boxes. Nests are made of wood chips and other debris found in the cavity. Down is added by the female. The female usually lays 9 to 12 eggs, although nest parasitism is common. Incubation lasts from 28 to 35 days, and is done by the female alone. The male usually remains near the nest until incubation begins, and rarely stays with the brood once they hatch. The young jump from the cavity within a day or so of hatching and head for the water. The female leads the young to food, and they feed themselves. The young feed mostly by dabbling at first, but after about a week can dive well. Females usually abandon the young before they can fly, sometimes as early as the end of the first week. Broods often join together in cr�ches after they are about a week old. Migration Status Most Common Mergansers migrate short to medium distances in small groups.

The post-breeding molt migration of males is not well understood, but it is thought that they migrate north to large lakes, bays, and rivers. Females molt alone after they leave their broods. The migration of the Common Merganser takes place late in the fall and early in the spring. Adult males seem to winter farther north than females and juvenile birds. Conservation Status Numbers appear to be stable across North America, and the Christmas Bird Count has reflected a slight increase in Washington in recent years. Common Mergansers are an important indicator of the health of wetlands. Habitat degradation can remove nesting cavities. River channelization increases sediment in the water. Agriculture and industry often alter water quality. All of these affect the Common Merganser, as well as many other species. Common Mergansers have come under fire for preying on salmon, but studies in British Columbia show that the most common prey item there for Common Mergansers is the sculpin. When and Where to Find in Washington Common Mergansers are common breeders in appropriate habitat on both sides of the Cascades.

They do not appear to breed in the dry regions of the Columbia Basin, but non-breeding birds can be found there in the summer. In winter, they can be found throughout the state in appropriate habitat where water remains open throughout the year. They are abundant during this time in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and in Puget Sound. Click here to visit this species' account and breeding-season distribution map in Sound to Sage , Seattle Audubon's on-line breeding bird atlas of Island, King, Kitsap, and Kittitas Counties. Abundance Hooded Merganser - Montana Field Guide Montana Field Guide Family - Swans / Geese / Ducks - Anatidae Species - Hooded Merganser - Lophodytes cucullatus Hooded Merganser - Lophodytes cucullatus General Description The Hooded Merganser is a small (length 46 cm) duck with a thin, serrated bill and a puffy crest. The adult male has a black head with a large white patch on each side, a dark back, brown flanks, and a white chest with two black bars on each side. The adult female is brownish overall, with a yellowish lower mandible.

The first-winter male resembles the female. In flight, both sexes show black-and-white inner secondaries (Peterson 1980). For a comprehensive review of the conservation status, habitat use, and ecology of this and other Montana bird species, please see Marks et al. 2016, Birds of Montana. Diagnostic Characteristics They differ from other mergansers in being smaller, having white head patches (males), and by lacking a red bill. They differ from the Bufflehead by lacking white sides. Species Range Click the legend blocks above to view individual ranges. Western Hemisphere Range Summary of Observations Submitted for Montana Number of Observations: 1009 (Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version) Map Help and Descriptions Relative Density (at least one obs. "w") (Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts) Migration Montana birds that do not overwinter in the state presumably migrate to the west coast (Skaar personal communication). Migration records are from late February to early April and from September to October.

Habitat Closely associated with forested wetland systems range-wide; a broad range of breeding habitats includes emergent marshes, small lakes, ponds, beaver wetlands, forested creeks and rivers, and swamps (Dugger et al. 2009). Hooded Mergansers are generally found in river areas bounded by woods and supporting good fish populations associated with clear water (Johnsgard 1992). Ecological Systems Associated with this Species Details on Creation and Suggested Uses and Limitations How Associations Were Made We associated the use and habitat quality (common or occasional) of each of the 82 ecological systems mapped in Montana for vertebrate animal species that regularly breed, overwinter, or migrate through the state by: Using personal observations and reviewing literature that summarize the breeding, overwintering, or migratory habitat requirements of each species (Dobkin 1992, Hart et al. 1998, Hutto and Young 1999, Maxell 2000, Foresman 2012, Adams 2003, and Werner et al.

2004); Evaluating structural characteristics and distribution of each ecological system relative to the species' range and habitat requirements; Examining the observation records for each species in the state-wide point observation database associated with each ecological system; Calculating the percentage of observations associated with each ecological system relative to the percent of Montana covered by each ecological system to get a measure of "observations versus availability of habitat". Species that breed in Montana were only evaluated for breeding habitat use, species that only overwinter in Montana were only evaluated for overwintering habitat use, and species that only migrate through Montana were only evaluated for migratory habitat use. In general, species were listed as associated with an ecological system if structural characteristics of used habitat documented in the literature were present in the ecological system or large numbers of point observations were associated with the ecological system. However, species were not listed as associated with an ecological system if there was no support in the literature for use of structural characteristics in an ecological system, even if point observations were associated with that system. Common versus occasional association with an ecological system was assigned based on the degree to which the structural characteristics of an ecological system matched the preferred structural habitat characteristics for each species as represented in scientific literature.

The percentage of observations associated with each ecological system relative to the percent of Montana covered by each ecological system was also used to guide assignment of common versus occasional association. If you have any questions or comments on species associations with ecological systems, please contact the Montana Natural Heritage Program's Senior Zoologist. Suggested Uses and Limitations Species associations with ecological systems should be used to generate potential lists of species that may occupy broader landscapes for the purposes of landscape-level planning. These potential lists of species should not be used in place of documented occurrences of species (this information can be requested at: ) or systematic surveys for species and evaluations of habitat at a local site level by trained biologists. Users of this information should be aware that the land cover data used to generate species associations is based on imagery from the late 1990s and early 2000s and was only intended to be used at broader landscape scales. Land cover mapping accuracy is particularly problematic when the systems occur as small patches or where the land cover types have been altered over the past decade. Thus, particular caution should be used when using the associations in assessments of smaller areas (e.g., evaluations of public land survey sections).

Finally, although a species may be associated with a particular ecological system within its known geographic range, portions of that ecological system may occur outside of the species' known geographic range. Literature Cited Adams, R.A. 2003. Bats of the Rocky Mountain West; natural history, ecology, and conservation. Boulder, CO: University Press of Colorado. 289 p. Dobkin, D. S. 1992. Neotropical migrant land birds in the Northern Rockies and Great Plains. USDA Forest Service, Northern Region. Publication No. R1-93-34. Missoula, MT. Foresman, K.R. 2012. Mammals of Montana. Second edition. Mountain Press Publishing, Missoula, Montana. 429 pp. Hart, M.M., W.A. Williams, P.C. Thornton, K.P. McLaughlin, C.M. Tobalske, B.A. Maxell, D.P. Hendricks, C.R. Peterson, and R.L. Redmond. 1998. Montana atlas of terrestrial vertebrates.

Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, Missoula, MT. 1302 p. Hutto, R.L. and J.S. Young. 1999. Habitat relationships of landbirds in the Northern Region, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station RMRS-GTR-32. 72 p. Maxell, B.A. 2000. Management of Montana's amphibians: a review of factors that may present a risk to population viability and accounts on the identification, distribution, taxonomy, habitat use, natural history, and the status and conservation of individual species. Report to U.S. Forest Service Region 1. Missoula, MT: Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana. 161 p. Werner, J.K., B.A. Maxell, P. Hendricks, and D. Flath. 2004. Amphibians and reptiles of Montana. Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Publishing Company. 262 p.

Commonly Associated with these Ecological Systems Wetland and Riparian Systems Occasionally Associated with these Ecological Systems Wetland and Riparian Systems Rocky Mountain Subalpine-Montane Fen Food Habits The Hooded Merganser's diet consists primarily of aquatic insects, fish, and crustaceans (particularly crayfish) (Dugger et al. 2009). Ecology Females exhibit strong fidelity to breeding areas (Dugger et al. 2009). Reproductive Characteristics The Hooded Merganser is a cavity nester using live or dead trees. Its eggs are unusual in being almost spherical with disproportionately thick shells. The eggs are white in color. The normal clutch size is not greater than 13 (Dugger et al. 2009). Hatching dates near Fortine are for early June. Breeding occurs statewide from late June to the end of July. Management Beneficial management could include establishing and maintaining cavity producing trees, and maintaining forested riparian corridors and forests within 1 km of suitable brood habitat (Dugger et al. 2009). References Merganser Ducks Print pdf Version Merganser Ducks Mergus are seaducks that primarily feed on fish.

Along with the Smew and Hooded Merganser , they are therefore often known as "sawbills" - so named because of the serrated edges to their bills to help them grip their slippery prey. Most of the merganser species favor riverine habitats, the exception being the Red-breasted Merganser, which is common at sea. Species and Ranges Auckland Islands Merganser , Mergus australis (extinct, c.1902) - Formerly occurred on South Island and Stewart Island in New Zealand Common Merganser or Goosander, Mergus merganser - Found in Europe, North Asia and North America. Brazilian Merganser , Mergus octosetaceus - Found in Brazil, South America Red-breasted Merganser , Mergus serrator - Found across northern North America, Greenland, Europe and Asia. Chinese Merganser , Mergus squamatus - Found inttemperate East Asia Relevant Resources Photos of the Different Duck Species for Identification Diet / Feeding: Ducks generally feed on larvae and pupae usually found under rocks, aquatic animals, plant material, seeds, small fish, snails and crabs. Feeding Ducks ...

We all enjoy ducks and many of us offer them food to encourage them to come over and stay around - and it works! Who doesn't like an easy meal! However, the foods that we traditionally feed them at local ponds are utterly unsuitable for them and are likely to cause health problems down the road. Also, there may be local laws against feeding this species of bird - so it's best to check on that rather than facing consequences at a later stage. Foods that can be fed to Ducks, Geese and Swans to survive cold winters and remain healthy when food is scarce in their environment. Please note that feeding ducks and geese makes them dependent on humans for food, which can result in starvation and possibly death when those feedings stop. If you decide to feed them, please limit the quantity to make sure that they maintain their natural ability to forage for food themselves - providing, of course, that natural food sources are available. Please Note: The articles or images on this page are the sole property of the authors or photographers. Please contact them directly with respect to any copyright or licensing questions. Thank you. The Avianweb strives to maintain accurate and up-to-date information; however, mistakes do happen.

If you would like to correct or update any of the information, please send us an e-mail . THANK YOU! Hooded Merganser, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology Typical Voice Size & Shape Hooded Mergansers are small ducks with a thin bill and a fan-shaped, collapsible crest that makes the head look oversized and oblong. In flight, the wings are thin and the tail is relatively long and rounded. Color Pattern Adult male Hooded Mergansers are black above, with a white breast and rich chestnut flanks. The black head has a large white patch that varies in size when the crest is raised or lowered, but is always prominent. Females and immatures are gray and brown, with warm tawny-cinnamon tones on the head. Behavior Hooded Mergansers dive to catch aquatic insects, crayfish, and small fish. Males court females by expanding their white, sail-like crests and making very low, gravelly, groaning calls. Hooded Mergansers fly distinctively, with shallow, very rapid wingbeats. Habitat Look for Hooded Mergansers on small bodies of freshwater.

In summer, these small ducks nest in holes in trees, often near freshwater ponds or rivers. For winter, they move to larger bodies of freshwater, marshes, and protected saltwater bays. BioKIDS - Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species, Mergus merganser, common merganser: INFORMATION Skip directly to main content . Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species Mergus merganser What do they look like? Common mergansers are the largest mergansers and the largest North American inland ducks. Males are slightly larger, on average. Males and females are colored quite differently. Males have bright, vivid, solid areas of color with sharply defined edges; black back, dark green to black head (changes to brown in non-breeding season), serrated red bill, red feet, and white body with slight peach-colored tinge on breast, and fading to some grey in the tail. Male common mergansers have no visible crest. Males can be readily distinguished from male common goldeneyes , which have shorter necks, rounded bodies, more ruffled heads, and white eyes.

Female common mergansers have the same red feet and bill as males, but they have a larger crest, a brown head, and the body is a less sharply defined mixture of grey and white, fading to white in the breast. The line between the brown neck and white breast is sharply defined, which distinguishes female common mergansers from similar female red-breasted mergansers . Other Physical Features sexes colored or patterned differently Range mass 33.86 to 38.98 in Where do they live? Common mergansers or goosanders occur in both the Nearctic and Palearctic regions. Although their abundance has been decreasing in North America, they are still the most abundant of the mergansers found there. In North America, common mergansers may breed as far north as southern Alaska and Canada. Some occur year-round in the northern and western United States. North American birds winter in New England, midwestern and southern states, and the Pacific coast of the U.S. and Canada. Common mergansers in the Palearctic region typically breed in northern Europe, Scandinavia, throughout Russia, and in much of northern Asia.

Populations in Europe winter along the coasts of Scandinavia and northern Europe, as well as parts of the northern Mediterranean coast and north Africa. In Asia common mergansers winter in southern Asia, northern India, Japan, China, and Korea. Biogeographic Regions holarctic What kind of habitat do they need? Common mergansers prefer to live in wooded areas along streams and rivers or near small, inland lakes. They can also be found along the shores of the Great Lakes, as well as on coastal streams in British Columbia. Nests are typically in a crevice of a deciduous tree along the shore, but sometimes will be in other types of crevices or on the ground, under tangled bushes. Mergansers may also occupy abandoned hawk nests when available. Common mergansers are diving predators who locate their prey by sight, and therefore tend to feed in clear waters, less than 4 m deep, including estuaries, coastal bays, lakes, streams, and rivers. In the winter, common mergansers have been known to dive deeper in order to capture schooling fish.

( Brewer, et al., 1991 ; Ehrlich, et al., 1988 ; Terres, 1980 ; Udvardy, 1977 ) These animals are found in the following types of habitat 13.12 (high) ft How do they reproduce? Common mergansers form mated pairs that last for at least one mating season and may last over a number of mating seasons. Pairs are formed in late winter, when a male circles a female and displays with his neck stretched forward and head feathers erect. Mating System monogamous Common mergansers breed once per year, in the summer. They lay from 9 to 12 eggs between May and June. Eggs are about 64 mm long and have a pale yellow, ivory, or white buff appearance. After hatching, young birds follow their mothers to feeding sites. Young can swim and feed easily as soon as they leave the nest, although for the first few days most food is taken from the surface of the water. Within about 8 days, the young are skilled divers.

Mothers abandon their young before they learn to fly, usually 30 to 50 days after hatching. Young mergansers join other young after being abandoned; mixed broods of more than 40 young have been observed. Key Reproductive Features Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male) 2 (low) years Males do not help with raising the young. Females incubate the eggs for 28 to 35 days. The young are able to get around on their own soon after hatching, they leave the nest within 24 to 48 hours. When the nest is in a tree cavity, they leave by jumping to the ground. For the next few weeks, females can be seen leading their chicks to feeding sites, once they arrive there, the young are responsible for finding their own food. The mother may give warnings of potential dangers, but otherwise the young are mostly independent at feeding sites. They are skilled divers within 8 days of leaving the nest. Mothers abandon their offspring before the young birds develop the ability to fly. Parental Investment Bird Banding Laboratory How do they behave? Common mergansers are social, preferring to be in groups of up to 75 individuals.

Nest sites are usually isolated, but females sometimes nest close to others. Broods often intermix, producing mixed broods of up to 40 or more young, tended by one or more adult females. In the winter, huge gatherings of hundreds of individuals have been observed. Common mergansers fly individually, in pairs, or in small flocks. They typically fly at about 70 km/h, and hold the head, body, and legs in a straight line. Females easily maneuver between trees in search of nesting sites, but they usually fly low over water or high when moving between bodies of water or during migration. Common mergansers swim along the surface of clear shallow waters, paddling with their feet and with their heads submerged to look for prey. They make a small leap before diving into the water. When swimming under water they use their feet for propulsion. Common mergansers can remain underwater for up to 2 minutes, but maximum recorded dive times are 52 seconds in 2 to 3 m water and 37 seconds in 18 to 37 m water, with a typical dive lasting less than 30 seconds.

Key Behaviors social Home Range Common mergansers usually nest by themselves, but they have also been known to nest together, with up to 10 females in a single tree. Males sometimes drive other mergansers away from their favorite places, but they are otherwise not territorial. Common mergansers travel over fairly large areas to feed in medium to large bodies of clear water. Females will lead young up to 8 km downstream in rivers to feed in larger bodies of water. How do they communicate with each other? Common mergansers use their excellent eyesight to find prey underwater while swimming on the surface. They can also find prey by probing underwater crevices when the water is cloudy. Males and females are mostly silent, but males make some calls during courtship, including hoarse croaking sounds and a twang somewhat like a guitar string. The females have a harsh karr, karr call that is sometimes heard during courtship or to warn others of a predator. Sometimes 2 or more birds dive from flight into the water with a particular body posture, producing an audible hollow sound, have been reported, but the purpose is unknown. Communication Channels chemical What do they eat?

Common mergansers are skilled diving predators, eating mainly slower small fish. Their serrated bills are well suited for capturing small fish and other aquatic prey. Clear water is preferred for feeding because the birds hunt primarily by sight. When fish are scarce (usually in spring), mergansers will substitute other small aquatic prey such as insects , frogs , and snails . They have been known to eat aquatic plants sometimes, and to feed on trout from freshwater streams when nearby ponds and lakes freeze. These birds feed most actively in the early morning after dawn, in the afternoon, and before sunset. Primary Diet macroalgae What eats them and how do they avoid being eaten? Common mergansers are top predators in aquatic food chains. Predation on adults is not common and young mergansers have good survival rates. This may be mostly because they breed far enough north that most of the common nest predators are not a threat to the eggs and hatchlings. The nest predators that live far enough north to potentially be a threat to Mergus merganser include red squirrels , American martens , northern flickers , and black bears .

Large predatory fish such as northern pike , along with predatory birds such as bald and golden eagles , common loons , and some owls and hawks , may prey on more vulnerable, immature mergansers in the water. However, no predators of common mergansers have been documented. What roles do they have in the ecosystem? Common mergansers are considered keystone predators, acting to control the populations of many inland fish such as perch and bass. By thinning these populations, it is thought that mergansers help to keep their populations healthy and growing. Wilderness lakes where mergansers feed generally produce larger, healthier fish than lakes without predation. Brood parasitism, or egg-dumping, is fairly common between individual common mergansers, as well as between common mergansers and other related species. Common mergansers have been known to place their eggs in the nests of common goldeneyes and hooded mergansers . And both common goldeneyes and hooded mergansers have also been known to place their eggs in the nests of common mergansers. This can lead to mixed clutches of up to 19 eggs. Ecosystem Impact Common mergansers have no known negative effects on humans.

How do they interact with us? By thinning fish populations in lakes and ponds, common mergansers allow the remaining fish to thrive, because they have less competition for the habitat's limited resources. Thus, more fish reach larger sizes for anglers. Common mergansers are also attractive birds that attract ecotourism. Ways that people benefit from these animals: ecotourism Are they endangered? Common mergansers remain common in both the Palearctic and Nearctic regions, and are not thought to be threatened at this time. Common merganser populations are most limited by the availability of nesting sites, such as tree cavities. Nest boxes installed by humans have improved populations in some areas. merganser | bird | Britannica.com Merganser Alternative Titles: fish duck, Mergus, sawbill, trash duck Similar Topics eider Merganser, also called Sawbill, fish duck, or trash duck, any of several species of Mergus, long-bodied, more or less crested diving ducks; though essentially freshwater birds, they are classified with scoters and goldeneyes in the sea duck tribe, Mergini (family Anatidae , order Anseriformes).

They are called trash ducks because their flesh is rank. Except for the rare Brazilian merganser (Mergus octosetaceus), all mergansers live in northern regions. The larger mergansers are seen most often on open reaches of lakes and rivers. The group is characterized by a distinctive narrow bill, with toothlike edges and hooked tip for catching fish. Red-breasted mergansers (Mergus serrator) , Chicago River, Chicago. © Richard Pallardy The common merganser, or goosander (M. merganser), is of mallard size; the male lacks a noticeable crest. It usually nests in hollow trees in north temperate to subarctic regions and migrates to more southerly rivers. The somewhat smaller and ground-nesting red-breasted merganser (M. serrator) has a similar range. In the United States , common and red-breasted mergansers are often called sheldrakes (properly a name for the shelducks). Red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator) G.

Ronald Austing—The National Audubon Society Collection/Photo Researchers Quite different is the hooded merganser (M., or Lophodytes, cucullatus) of temperate North America , a small, tree-nesting species of woodland waterways. The smew (M. albellus) is a small, compact merganser with a short bill; it breeds from Scandinavia to Siberia and south to Turkestan and winters on lakes and streams south to the Mediterranean and Central Asia . Learn More in these related articles: in anseriform Common Merganser - | Birds of North America Online Birds of North America Online Authors: Mallory, Mark L. and Karen Metz Revisors: Pearce, John Enlarge Figure 1. Distribution of the Common Merganser in North America. Local breeding occurs along the Pacific coast east to the dashed line. Wintering birds concentrate on large rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. This species also breeds in Europe and Asia. See text for details. Enlarge Adult male Common Merganser, Edmonton, AB, 22 April. A large, long-bodied, thin-billed duck.

Adult males are striking, with white bodies and dark, iridescent-green heads. The back is black and the bill red. The following is a link to this contributor's image via Birdshare: Raymond Lee . © Cornell Lab of Ornithology This large, cold-hardy, fish-eating sea duck nests worldwide near large lakes and rivers in northern forested habitats. In North America, it winters on large lakes, rivers, and reservoirs of the Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountains, central United States, Great Lakes region and along the coasts as far north as Alaska. Also known as Goosander, a name sometimes restricted to Eurasian populations, the species has a variety of popular North American names that refer to mergansers in general, names such as sawbill, fish duck, and sheldrake. In flight, this duck has a flat, pointed profile. It generally nests in tree cavities (or nest boxes) but will nest on the ground or in crevices. Females breed in their second year, generally lay one clutch per year, and will lay their white eggs in the nests of other cavity-nesting ducks.

As a top predator in aquatic food chains, this species has served as an indicator of environmental health both for contaminants (pesticides, toxic metals) and lake acidification. Because this merganser was thought to threaten salmon and trout stocks, its diet has been intensively studied, and in some regions it has been the target of eradication programs. Although we lack a reliable estimate of its current population size, trend data suggest that the North American population is generally stable or increasing, with many northeastern US populations expanding south into former range. The species has been studied extensively in breeding areas of Atlantic Canada ( White, H. C. 1957. Food and natural history of mergansers on salmon waters in the Maritime provinces of Canada. Bull. Fish. Res. Board Canada no. 116. Close White 1957 , Erskine Erskine, A. J. 1971b. Growth, and annual cycles in weights, plumages and reproductive organs of Goosanders in eastern Canada. Ibis no. 113 (1):42-58. Close Erskine 1971b , Errington, P. L. 1933.

Food habits of southern Wisconsin raptors: Part 2. Hawks. Condor no. 35:19-29. Close Errington 1933 ), British Columbia ( Munro, J. A. and W. A. Clemens. 1937. The American Merganser in British Columbia and its relation to the fish population. Biol. Board Canada Bull. no. 55. Close Munro and Clemens 1937 , Wood Wood, C. C. 1985a. Aggregative response of Common Mergansers (Mergus merganser): predicting flock size and abundance on Vancouver Island salmon streams. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. no. 42:1259-1271. Close Wood 1985a , Wood, C. C. and C. M. Hand. 1985. Food searching behaviour of the Common Merganser (Mergus merganser). I: Functional responses to prey and predator density. Can. J. Zool. no. 63:1260-1270.

Close Wood and Hand 1985 ), and in wintering habitats in the central United States ( Salyer II, J. C. and K. F. Lagler. 1940. The food and habits of the American Merganser during winter in Michigan, considered in relation to fish management. J. Wildl. Manage. no. 4:186-219. Close Salyer II and Lagler 1940 , Huntington, E. H. and A. A. Roberts. 1959. Food habits of the merganser in New Mexico. N.M. Dep. Game Fish. Bull. no. no. 9. Close Huntington and Roberts 1959 , Anderson, B. W. and R. L. Timken. 1971. Age and sex characteristics of Common Mergansers. J. Wildl. Manage. no. 35:388-393. Close Anderson and Timken 1971 , Mccaw III, J. H., P. J. Zwank and R. L. Steiner. 1996.

Abundance, distribution, and behavior of common mergansers wintering on a reservoir in southern New Mexico. J. Field Ornithol. no. 67:669-679. Close Mccaw III et al. 1996 ). Diet of this species is well understood, as are its foraging and courtship behavior, growth, plumage molts, and relationships to pollution. Despite its broad distribution and importance as a bio-indicator of aquatic food-chain degradation, however, we know little about the nesting and reproductive biology of this duck, or its population size and dynamics.

Question: The merganser is a species of which kind of bird?
Answer: A DUCK