Common Merganser
Mergus merganser
Also known as: Goosander
Habitat
Aquatic
Diet
VertFishScav
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
1.5 kg
About This Species
A large, slender diving duck found on clear rivers and lakes, easily told apart from other waterfowl by its long, thin, serrated bill adapted for catching fish underwater. Look for small groups fishing cooperatively, driving fish into shallows before diving in sequence, and listen for the distinctive splashing takeoff runs across the water's surface. Wooded river valleys in winter, when birds gather on ice-free stretches, offer the most reliable viewing.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- These are wary birds on open water that will swim or fly off well before a close approach is possible, so patient observation from a fixed spot on the bank with binoculars or a scope works better than trying to close the distance.
- Avoid approaching females with broods of ducklings, which can cause the young to scatter and become separated in fast water.
- Boaters and kayakers should give rafting groups a wide berth, particularly in winter when energy conservation matters most.
LCAvesAnseriformesAnatidae
Seasonal Activity
5,296,980 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Family
- Anatidae
Traits
- Diet
- VertFishScav
- Foraging
- Aquatic
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 1.5 kg
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.