Brazilian Merganser
Mergus octosetaceus
The Brazilian Merganser (Mergus octosetaceus) is a legendary ducks, swans, and geese found only in Brazil, weighing about 983 g. The Brazilian merganser is a South American diving duck in the Mergus genus.
About the Brazilian Merganser
The Brazilian merganser is a South American diving duck in the Mergus genus. It is one of the most threatened waterfowl species in the world, with possibly fewer than 250 birds in the wild and a small number kept in captivity in Brazil and Czechia. It has a long, sharp-edged beak with a great number of tooth-like edges.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
This merganser is a dark, slender duck with a shiny dark-green hood with a long crest, which is usually shorter and more worn-looking in females. Upperparts are dark grey while the breast is light grey, getting paler toward the whitish belly, and a white speculum is particularly noticeable in flight. It has a long thin jagged black bill with red feet and legs. Although females are smaller with a shorter bill and crest, both sexes are alike in color. The slender ducks range in size from 49 to 56 centimetres (19 to 22 in) as an adult.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, with peak activity in October. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Brazilian Merganser?
- This merganser is a dark, slender duck with a shiny dark-green hood with a long crest, which is usually shorter and more worn-looking in females. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Brazilian Merganser?
- The Brazilian Merganser is a large sized bird weighing about 983 g.
- Where can you see a Brazilian Merganser?
- The Brazilian Merganser is endemic to Brazil, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a Brazilian Merganser?
- The Brazilian Merganser is most easily confused with the Scaly-sided Merganser, the Red-breasted Merganser and the Common Merganser.
- Is the Brazilian Merganser endangered?
- The Brazilian Merganser is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Brazilian Merganser for real
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