Common Merganser
Image: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Needsmoreritalin" title="User:Needsmoreritalin">Chuck Homler d/b/a Focus On Wildlife</a> (CC BY-SA 4.0)
NameCommon Merganser
Common NameCommon Merganser
Scientific NameMergus merganser
FamilyAnatidae
Wingspan (cm)89.5
Length (cm)65
Weight (g)1500
Plumage DetailsMales have a white body, black back, and an iridescent dark green head with a red bill. Females feature a rufous-brown head with a shaggy crest, a distinct white chin, a gray body, and a white breast.
Vocalization / CallGenerally quiet, Common Mergansers produce a deep, croaking call by males during courtship displays. Females have a harsher, rattling call.
Primary Dietpiscivore
Primary Habitatsfreshwater lakes, rivers, estuaries, coastal waters
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeWidespread across the Northern Hemisphere, breeding in northern forests of North America, Europe, and Asia, and migrating south to temperate regions for winter.
Identifying Featureslong, slender, serrated red bill, males: dark green head, white body, black back, females: rufous head with shaggy crest, white chin, gray body, streamlined body shape for diving
Description
The Common Merganser is a large diving duck found on freshwater lakes and rivers. Males are striking with a sleek white body and an iridescent dark green head, while females have a distinctive rufous-brown head with a shaggy crest and a gray body. They are expert fish-eaters, using their specialized serrated bills to catch prey underwater.
