Adult female and downy young. Photo: Lynn Cleveland/Audubon Photography Awards
Mergus merganser
| Conservation status | May be increasing in Europe; apparently stable in North America. |
|---|---|
| Family | Ducks and Geese |
| Habitat | Wooded lakes, rivers; in winter, rarely coastal bays. Mainly around fresh water at all seasons. Summer: on shallow but clear rivers and lakes in forested country; avoids dense marshes and muddy waters. Winter: on lakes, large rivers; occasionally on bays along coast. |
forages by diving and swimming underwater, propelled by its feet, stroking with both feet in unison. Finds most food by sight; may swim along surface, dipping head underwater repeatedly until prey is spotted, then diving in pursuit.
8-11, sometimes 6-13. Pale buff. Females often lay eggs in each others' nests. Incubation is by female only, 30-35 days. Young: May remain in nest a day or more after hatching; then they climb to cavity entrance and jump to ground. Female tends young birds for several weeks, but young feed themselves; they may survive even if abandoned quite early. Young are capable of flight about 65-70 days after hatching.
May remain in nest a day or more after hatching; then they climb to cavity entrance and jump to ground. Female tends young birds for several weeks, but young feed themselves; they may survive even if abandoned quite early. Young are capable of flight about 65-70 days after hatching.
mostly fish. Eats a wide variety of fish; also will eat mussels, shrimp, salamanders, rarely plant material. Adult males may swallow fish more than 1 foot long. Young ducklings eat mostly aquatic insects.
Courtship displays of male include swimming very rapidly in circles near female; suddenly stretching neck upward, pointing bill straight up, and giving soft call. Nest site is near water, usually in large tree cavity; also in crevices in rock, in holes under tree roots or undercut banks, or in nest boxes. Occasionally in buildings. Nest of wood chips or debris in cavity, plus lining of down.
Audubon’s scientists have used 140 million bird observations and sophisticated climate models to project how climate change will affect this bird’s range in the future.
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A photographer in Minnesota recently captured an adorable shot of a Common Merganser followed by dozens of fuzzy babies.
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