Mergus serrator
The glossy, slicked-back crest and wild, red eyes give the Red-breasted Merganser a crazed, new-age look. Mergansers are lean, powerful waterfowl designed for the underwater pursuit of fish. All mergansers have specially modified, thin bills with small serrations on the upper and lower mandibles that help them keep a firm grasp on their slippery fish prey. The scientific name serrator is Latin for 'sawyer,' and it refers to this bird's saw-like bill. Red-breasted Mergansers are infrequently encountered on mountain lakes during their migration between wintering on the coast and breeding in the Arctic. |
I.D.: General: large, elongated duck; thin, red, serrated bill; shaggy, slicked-back crest. Male: green head; light rusty breast is spotted with black; white collar; gray sides; black-and-white wing covers; red eyes. Female: gray-brown overall; reddish head. In flight: male has 2 white wing patches separated by 2 narrow, black bars; female has 2 white wing patches. Size: L 19-26 in. (48-66 cm). Range: locally common east of the Continental Divide in the northern U.S. Rockies during spring migration; rare migrant elsewhere in the Rockies. Habitat: In migration: lakes and large rivers. Nesting: typically in the boreal forest and taiga; on the ground near a shoreline, under bushes or branches or in dense grass and sedge; well-concealed nest is made with plant material and often lined with down; female builds the nest and incubates the eggs. Feeding: dives underwater for small fish; also eats aquatic invertebrates, fish eggs and crustaceans. Voice: generally quiet. Male: catlike yeow during courtship and feeding. Female: harsh kho-kha. Similar Species: Common Merganser: male lacks the spotted, red breast and the border between the head and breast is more clearly defined; female has a cleanly defined, white throat. |
