Common Merganser
Mergus merganser
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Mergus merganser
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Mass
~2 kg
Habitat
Rivers and streams
Diet
Fish and aquatic animals
How to recognize it
The Common Merganser has a large, streamlined look, with a long narrow bill and a calm, low-slung way of sitting on the water. Its long neck and steady, purposeful movements are easy to remember when you see it along a river or lake.
It is a wary, usually quiet duck that spends much of its time diving for food. It may fish alone or in a small group, sometimes working together to push fish into shallower water, and if startled it can spit out what it has just caught.
It favors freshwater with wooded banks, and in winter it shifts to larger unfrozen lakes or brackish lagoons. Fish make up most of its diet, though it also takes aquatic invertebrates, and northern populations move south in colder months while those in milder areas may stay put.
Quick Facts
Listen to the call
The Common Merganser has a large, streamlined look, with a long narrow bill and a calm, low-slung way of sitting on the water. Its long neck and steady, purposeful movements are easy to remember when you see it along a river or lake.
It is a wary, usually quiet duck that spends much of its time diving for food. It may fish alone or in a small group, sometimes working together to push fish into shallower water, and if startled it can spit out what it has just caught.
It favors freshwater with wooded banks, and in winter it shifts to larger unfrozen lakes or brackish lagoons. Fish make up most of its diet, though it also takes aquatic invertebrates, and northern populations move south in colder months while those in milder areas may stay put.
How to recognize it
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Mergus merganser Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Common merganser Encyclopedia article