The European population consists of 66,800-103,000 pairs, which equates to 134,000-206,000 mature individuals. In addition to fish, they take a wide range of other aquatic prey, such as molluscs, crustaceans, worms, insect larvae, and amphibians; more rarely, small mammals and birds may be taken. In some parts of Europe, with artificial nesting sites … ... State of India’s Birds factsheet: Common Merganser. Mergus merganser merganser (Iceland, ... Habitat ♀ immature. Habitat in Breeding Range. This species is larger than the red-breasted merganser, and is one of the largest of our ducks. Their bill is similar in appearance to a cormorant’s bill. Economic Importance for Humans: Positive. The bill and legs are red to brownish-red, brightest on adult males, dullest on juveniles. This species is also native to Eurasia, where it is commonly called the “goosander.” Our North American common mergansers are a separate subspecies, Mergus merganser americanus. In some populations, male Common mergansers perform molt migration; they leave the breeding areas as soon as the young hatch to spend the summer (June to September) elsewhere, leaving the females to care for the ducklings. Habitat: Small numbers of this species may occur throughout winter on inland lakes and reservoirs. Wetland. As in other birds with the character, the salmon-pink tinge shown variably by males is probably diet-related, obtained from the carotenoidpigmen… Common mergansers breed in forested areas near freshwater lakes, rivers, pools, and streams. The Common Merganser, Mergus merganser is a diving sea duck whose habitat is forested rivers and lakes North America and Eurasia. [10] Though they move clumsily on land, they resort to running when pressed, assuming a very upright position similar to penguins, and falling and stumbling frequently. To rise from water, they flap along the surface for many yards. A Common Merganser is a fun bird to see while bird watching. Like the other mergansers, these piscivorous ducks have serrated edges to their bills to help them grip their prey, so they are often known as "sawbills". Breeding males have a dark green head and mostly white body with peachy blush on underparts. When fishing, Common mergansers usually dive for 30 seconds or less, however, they are able to stay underwater for up to 2 minutes! They are not on the 2014 State of the Birds Watch List. Females, and males in "eclipse" (non-breeding plumage, July to October) are largely grey, with a reddish-brown head, white chin, and white secondary feathers on the wing. [8] When not diving for food, they are usually seen swimming on the water surface, or resting on rocks in midstream or hidden among riverbank vegetation, or (in winter) on the edge of floating ice. [5][6] As in other birds with the character, the salmon-pink tinge shown variably by males is probably diet-related, obtained from the carotenoid pigments present in some crustaceans and fish. The ducklings are born precocial and are taken by their mother in her bill to rivers or lakes immediately after hatching; there they feed on freshwater invertebrates and small fish fry. They also suffer from the loss of habitat and nesting site availability through drainage, pollution, and expansion of agriculture and industry. Habitat and conservation: Common migrant and winter resident on rivers and lakes, foraging in deep water. Their bodies are long, and they have long, narrow bills with a hook at the tip. They often sit on a rock in the middle of the water, similar to cormorants, often half-opening their wings to the sun. According to the IUCN Red List, the total Common merganser population size is around 1,700,000-2,400,000 individuals. In addition for the winter they can be found in coastal areas. It is found in the Neotropics, the Nearctic, the Palearctic, and the Indo-Malayan Realm. Its flocks are usually small, but these may combine into big concentrations sometimes at large reservoirs. In smaller streams, they are present in pairs or smaller groups, and they float down, twisting round and round in the rapids; they also fishing vigorously in a deep pool near the foot of a waterfall or rapid. Their ordinary voice is a low, harsh croak, but during the breeding season, mergansers (including the young) make a plaintive, soft whistle. Common mergansers are monogamous and form pairs that usually last for at least one breeding season. Male has flashing white sides, green head, white breast, and long, thin red bill. Female has gray body and sides; reddish-brown crested head sharply set off from white throat. ", "The origins of moulting Goosanders on the Eden Estuary", "Central Park Races to Save a Rare Duck Gagging on a Piece of Plastic", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Common_merganser&oldid=1004594898, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 3 February 2021, at 11:26. According to the IUCN Red List, the total Common merganser population size is around 1,700,000-2,400,000 individuals. Fish that have to compete in overpopulated lakes and ponds often do not grow very large. Habitat. Economic Importance for Humans: Positive. When floating leisurely, they position themselves in water similar to ducks, but they also swim deep in water like cormorants, especially when swimming upstream. [4], There are three subspecies, differing in only minor detail:[5][6], It is 58–72 cm (23–28 in) long with a 78–97 cm (31–38 in) wingspan and a weight of 0.9–2.1 kg (2.0–4.6 lb); males average slightly larger than females but with some overlap. He introduced the current binomial name Mergus merganser. To rise from the water, they flap along the surface for many yards. Low Concern. The Common Merganser, as the name indicates, is the most abundant and whose habitat covers the largest portions of the continent. Large duck with a sleek body and thin red bill. They often sit on a rock in the middle of the water, similar to cormorants, often half-opening their wings to the sun. Female common mergansers lay an average of 9-12 eggs. Like other species in the genus Mergus, it has a crest of longer head feathers, but these usually lie smoothly rounded behind the head, not normally forming an erect crest. Interestingly, it apparently once nested in the state because 6 sets of eggs were collected in Smith County between 1896 and 1899. A distinct white spot is on the chin unlike a Red-breasted Merganser. 9–12 pale buff or ivory eggs in a down-lined tree cavity or sometimes on the ground or in an abandoned hawk’s nest. Reproductive Characteristics Pair formation appears to occur during late winter-early spring. Feeds … The Common merganser is a common breeding bird in the Refuge and surrounding area, but uncommon in our area during the rest of the year. The long, serrated bill is bright red. When not diving for food, they are usually seen swimming on the water surface, or resting on rocks in midstream; they may also hide among riverbank vegetation, or (in winter) on the edge of floating ice. In winter they move to lakes, gravel pits and reservoirs, occasionally to sheltered estuaries. [5][6][7], Like the other mergansers, these piscivorous ducks have serrated edges to their bills to help them grip their prey, so they are often known as "sawbills". Generally, they are wary, and one or more birds stay on sentry duty to warn the flock of approaching danger. The Common Merganser eats primarily small fish, but will also eat insects, mollusks, crustaceans, worms, frogs, small mammals, birds, and plants (Mallory and Metz 1999). The best deer, elk, bear and other big game outfitters in Texas, Colorado and beyond are right here on Guidefitter. Mergus merganser. During the summer they inhabit lakes, rivers, reservoirs, brackish waters and marshes. Male has flashing white sides, green head, white breast, and long, thin red bill. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman, Editor). The females are equally colorful with a gray body, rusty-red head and crest, and a white chest. These birds are partial migrants; they leave areas where rivers and major lakes freeze in the winter but are resident where waters remain open. Latin: Mergus merganser americanus . Eastern North American birds move south in small groups to the United States wherever ice free conditions exist on lakes and rivers; on the milder Pacific coast, they are permanent residents. They tend to avoid saltwater but may be found in estuaries, coastal bays, and lagoons. The bird has a crest of longer head feathers, but these usually lie smoothly rounded behind the head. [2] The genus name is a Latin word used by Pliny and other Roman authors to refer to an unspecified waterbird, and merganser is derived from mergus and anser, Latin for "goose". [7][14][15], Overall, the species is not threatened, though illegal persecution by game fishing interests is a problem in some areas. Common Merganser: Large, sleek diving duck with black upperparts and white underparts. They are most commonly found on Lake Erie, and in the dead of winter are the most likely merganser to be seen on the lake. Similar birds: Red-breasted merganser Where and when to see them Goosanders can be seen in the upland rivers of N England, Scotland and Wales in summer. Mergansers are known as “sawbills’’ and “fish ducks.” Hooded mergansers average 16 to 18 inches in length, while the red-breasted and common merganser are 20 to 25 inches. Much smaller numbers of males also use estuaries in eastern Scotland as a moulting area. The goosander is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds applies. The elegant gray-bodied females have rich, cinnamon heads with a short crest. Description = Habitat =20 Occurrence =20 The Common Merganser is a fish-eater and winter guest that lives on larg= e fresh and salt water. [3] In 1843 John James Audubon used the name "Buff-breasted Merganser" in addition to "goosander" in his book The Birds of America. Generally, they are wary, and one or more birds stay on sentry duty to warn the flock of approaching danger. Online Help Keyboard Shortcuts Feed Builder What’s new The British call this bird the "Goosander." Common Merganser populations in North America declined by over 2% per year between 1966 and 2014, resulting in a cumulative decline of 65%, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Common mergansers have an average length of 25 1/2 inches and an average weight of 2 1/2 pounds. Common mergansers often fish in a group; they form a semicircle and drive the fish into shallow water, where it is captured easily. Juveniles (both sexes) are similar to adult females but also show a short black-edged white stripe between the eye and bill. The Common Merganser eats primarily small fish, but will also eat insects, mollusks, crustaceans, worms, frogs, small mammals, birds, and plants (Mallory and Metz 1999). The international Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey conducted by the U.S. The bill and legs are red to brownish-red, brightest on adult males, dullest on juveniles. This fish-eating duck is the typical merganser of freshwater lakes. The serrated edges of the common merganser's bill are like the teeth of a saw! Most of these birds are about two feet long, though each species varies in size. In summer, look for them leading ducklings from eddy to eddy along streams or standing on a flat … Mergus merganser. Both males and females have a slender red bill. When floating leisurely, they position themselves in water similar to ducks, but they also swim deep in water like cormorants, especially when swimming upstream. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. Natural habitats: Marine and intertidal Upland Wetland. In addition to fish, they take a wide range of other aquatic prey, such as molluscs, crustaceans, worms, insect larvae, and amphibians; more rarely, small mammals and birds may be taken. The Common merganser is a common breeding bird in the Refuge and surrounding area, but uncommon in our area during the rest of the year. Male Common Merganser have a white body with a black back (21-28 in) and a dark green head for most of the year. Average weight: M 3.64 lbs., F 2.73 lbs. It is associated with freshwater habitat. The Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) ... Habitat requirements for nesting and foraging determine the overall range of the Common Mergansers. [13], The species is a partial migrant, with birds moving away from areas where rivers and major lakes freeze in the winter, but resident where waters remain open. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations. They also suffer from the loss of habitat and nesting site availability through drainage, pollution, and expansion of agriculture and industry. HABITAT: Prefers freshwater over saltwater habitats. The summer habitat of the common merganser encompasses rivers and lakes in the boreal forest. Reproductive Characteristics Pair formation appears to occur during late winter-early spring. Common Mergansers living along rivers may spend hours resting on rocks or on shore. In winter, it can be found on the IJsselmeer a= nd the neighbouring Wadden Sea. Adult males in breeding plumage are easily distinguished, the body white with a variable salmon-pink tinge, the head black with an iridescent green gloss, the rump and tail grey, and the wings largely white on the inner half, black on the outer half. In larger streams and rivers, they float down with the stream for a few miles, and either fly back again or more commonly fish their way back, diving incessantly the whole way. The common merganser (North American) or goosander (Eurasian) (Mergus merganser) is a large seaduck of rivers and lakes in forested areas of Europe, Asia, and North America. [7] They are very scarce in Ireland, with regular breeding confined to a few pairs in County Wicklow.[18]. Fledging usually occurs when ducklings are between 60 and 70 days old and reproductive maturity is reached at the age of two years. Long, thin bill is bright red. The Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) ... Habitat requirements for nesting and foraging determine the overall range of the Common Mergansers. The first formal description of the common merganser was by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Quick Search. They nest in tree cavities and for many, their range moves south in the winter. Range The common merganser is found in all four flyways. Once they are airborne, the flight is strong and rapid. 22-27" (56-69 cm). Common Merganser is a diurnal vertivore. Superficially this species is quite similar to the Common Merganser. It is the largest of the three North American mergansers. The bird is striking in appearance; both sexes have crests that they can raise or lower, and the breeding plumage of the male is handsomely … Common Merganser. It nests in natural tree cavities usually made by other species. Eastern North American birds move south in small groups to the United States wherever ice free conditions exist on lakes and rivers; on the milder Pacific coast, they are permanent residents. Help. The contents of this page are made available under a CC BY license The hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) is a species of merganser.It is the only extant species in the genus Lophodytes.The genus name derives from the Greek language: lophos meaning 'crest', and dutes meaning 'diver'. DIET: This duck feeds on fish, aquatic insects and crustaceans. This large waterfowl catches its food by diving and catches its prey with its serrated bill. Population number. The males are striking with clean white bodies, dark green heads, and a slender, serrated red bill. Individuals can grow to 2054 g. Reproduction is dioecious. [10] The female lays 6–17 (most often 8–12) white to yellowish eggs, and raises one brood in a season. Report of the Irish Rare Breeding Birds Panel 2013, Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds, "Carotenoids produce flush in the Elegant Tern plumage", "1 Hen, 76 Ducklings: What's the Deal With This Picture? Home / All Species / Common Merganser. Juveniles (both sexes) are similar to adult females but also show a short black-edged white stripe between the eye and bill. Common Merganser. Common mergansers are known to form crèches, with single females having being observed with over 70 ducklings at one time! Common mergansers have very acute eyesight that allows them to spot prey underwater while they are swimming on the surface. ... Habitat Specialization. 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