Common Merganser Goosander Mergus merganser

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In this video, we learn about the common merganser. • QUICK FACTS • • Lifespan: 13 years (maximum recorded) • • Length: 23–28.5 in • • Wingspan: 30.5–38 in • • Weight: 2–4.10 lb • • Family: Anatidae • Description • The common merganser, also known as the goosander, is a large, crested species of sea duck. The breeding male is white with a pinkish tinge. It has a black head with an iridescent green gloss, black outer wings, and a gray rump and tail. Females are mostly gray with a reddish-brown head and white on the throat and wings. Males resemble females in eclipse - that is outside the breeding season. • Vocalizations: Call and song • They are not vocal birds, but females croaking to communicate with ducklings, and males produce a ringing courtship call. Both males and females give off hoarse alarm calls when threatened. • Distribution and range • The common merganser is native to Europe, Asia, and North America. They migrate short to medium distances south of their breeding range. • Habitat • Common mergansers typically inhabit rivers, lakes, and large ponds. They breed in large lakes and rivers in forested areas. During winter, they inhabit similar environments but are also found in coastal environments, such as estuaries, harbors, and bays. • • Diet and feeding habits • Common mergansers are piscivorous with a diet comprising mainly fish. They also eat other aquatic animals, such as frogs, crabs, and worms. To a lesser extent, they also eat plants and prey on small birds and mammals. The pinkish tinge in the male’s plumage may stem from dietary carotenoid pigments. They typically forage in shallow waters but may venture into deeper waters in winter. • Nesting and breeding • Common mergansers typically nest in tree holes in mature forests but may also use rock crevices, burrows, holes in banks, and nest boxes. The clutch size varies between 6 and seventeen eggs. After hatching, the mother carries the ducklings in her mouth to a river or lake to feed. The ducklings fledge in about two months. • Status and conservation • Overall, global populations are stable, and the breeding range and population size has even expanded in western Europe. However, common mergansers are indiscriminately persecuted by game fishermen in some parts of their range. The species is protected by the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds. It is classified as “least concern” by the IUCN. • #avibirds #bird #birdwatching #commonmerganser #goosander #merganser #mergusmerganser

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