Common Merganser
Mergus merganser
The Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) is a common ducks, swans, and geese found in 69 countries, weighing about 1.5 kg. The common merganser or goosander is a large sea duck of rivers and lakes in forested areas of Europe, Asia, and North America.
About the Common Merganser
The common merganser or goosander is a large sea duck of rivers and lakes in forested areas of Europe, Asia, and North America. The common merganser eats mainly fish. It nests in holes in trees. The name "common merganser" is used in North America, while "goosander" is used in Eurasia.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
It is 58–72 cm (23–28+1⁄2 in) long with a 78–97 cm (30+1⁄2–38 in) wingspan and a weight of 0.9–2.1 kg (2 lb 0 oz – 4 lb 10 oz); males are on average slightly larger than females, but with some overlap. Like other species in the genus Mergus, it has a crest of longer head feathers, but these usually lie smoothly rounded behind the head and do not normally form an erect crest.
What the Common Merganser sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, October, November, December, with peak activity in March. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Common Merganser?
- It is 58–72 cm (23–28+1⁄2 in) long with a 78–97 cm (30+1⁄2–38 in) wingspan and a weight of 0.9–2.1 kg (2 lb 0 oz – 4 lb 10 oz); males are on average slightly larger than females, but with some overlap. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Common Merganser?
- The Common Merganser is a large sized bird weighing about 1.5 kg.
- Where can you see a Common Merganser?
- The Common Merganser occurs in 69 countries, including the United States, Canada, Sweden, Norway and the United Kingdom.
- What does a Common Merganser sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Common Merganser on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Common Merganser?
- The Common Merganser is most easily confused with the Red-breasted Merganser, the Scaly-sided Merganser and the Brazilian Merganser.
- Is the Common Merganser endangered?
- The Common Merganser is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Common Merganser for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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