BigRedBirder (talk | contribs) |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
;Mergus merganser | ;Mergus merganser | ||
[[Image:Common_Merganser.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by Ragna]] | [[Image:Common_Merganser.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by Ragna]] | ||
| + | Also referred to as "Goosander" | ||
==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
| − | + | ====Adult Male==== | |
| − | == | + | *Greenish-black head and upper neck |
| − | + | *White breast, flanks and belly | |
| − | + | *Black back and upperwing coverts with white scapulars | |
| − | Greenish-black head and upper neck | + | *White secondary coverts crossed with indistinct dark bar |
| − | White breast, flanks and belly | + | *Alternate plumage worn from fall through early summer |
| − | Black back and upperwing coverts with white scapulars | + | **Similar to adult female |
| − | White secondary coverts crossed with indistinct dark bar | ||
| − | Alternate plumage worn from fall through early summer | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | Red-brown head meets pale breast in crisp line of division | + | ====Adult Female==== |
| − | Well-defined white chin | + | *Red-brown head meets pale breast in crisp line of division |
| − | White breast and belly | + | *Well-defined white chin |
| − | Pale gray body plumage | + | *White breast and belly |
| + | *Pale gray body plumage | ||
| + | ===Similar Species=== | ||
| + | Female may be confused with female [[Red-breasted Merganser]]. Common shows a distinct division between head and chest. Crest is also less shaggy than female Red-breasted. | ||
| + | ==Distribution== | ||
| + | ===Breeding=== | ||
| + | ====Europe==== | ||
| + | Breeds in Iceland and north and west Britain, throughout Scandinvia and across Northern Europe from Poland eastwards. Scattered and isolated populations in the Alps, Denmark, Germany, and furthest south of all, very small numbers breed in northern Greece at Lake Prespa. Occasionally breeds far south of normal range and has bred several times in the Czech Republic and in Ireland. Bred for the first time in the Netherlands in 1996. | ||
| + | ====Asia==== | ||
| + | Breeds across Central and northern Asia to northern China, Sakhalin and occasionally Hokkaido. | ||
| + | ====North America==== | ||
| + | Breeds in south-east Alaska and western Canada across the forest zone of central Canada and east to Newfoundland. In the USA breeds in the north-east and around the Great Lakes, and in the west range extends south to northern California, Arizona and New Mexico. | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
Northernmost populations are migratory, most others resident or partial migrants, moving to coastal areas close to breeding site. In winter found in southern Britain and northern France east to Poland and in coastal Norway and Sweden. Small numbers also winter in Central Europe, the northern Mediterranean and the Black and Caspian Seas. In the Far East winters from Japan southwards and in North America winters over much of the USA except the north-central states and the Gulf Coast. | Northernmost populations are migratory, most others resident or partial migrants, moving to coastal areas close to breeding site. In winter found in southern Britain and northern France east to Poland and in coastal Norway and Sweden. Small numbers also winter in Central Europe, the northern Mediterranean and the Black and Caspian Seas. In the Far East winters from Japan southwards and in North America winters over much of the USA except the north-central states and the Gulf Coast. | ||
| Line 32: | Line 37: | ||
==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
| − | Nominate race breeds in Europe and northern Asia, larger and finer-billed race comatus in Central Asia and americanus in North America which has deeper base to bill and male has dark bar across bases of median coverts. | + | Nominate race breeds in Europe and northern Asia, larger and finer-billed race ''comatus'' in Central Asia and ''americanus'' in North America which has deeper base to bill and male has dark bar across bases of median coverts. |
==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
| − | == | + | ==Voice== |
<flashmp3>Mergus merganser (song).mp3</flashmp3><br /> | <flashmp3>Mergus merganser (song).mp3</flashmp3><br /> | ||
''[[Media:Mergus merganser (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]'' | ''[[Media:Mergus merganser (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]'' | ||
Revision as of 22:20, 29 December 2007
- Mergus merganser
Also referred to as "Goosander"
Identification
Adult Male
- Greenish-black head and upper neck
- White breast, flanks and belly
- Black back and upperwing coverts with white scapulars
- White secondary coverts crossed with indistinct dark bar
- Alternate plumage worn from fall through early summer
- Similar to adult female
Adult Female
- Red-brown head meets pale breast in crisp line of division
- Well-defined white chin
- White breast and belly
- Pale gray body plumage
Similar Species
Female may be confused with female Red-breasted Merganser. Common shows a distinct division between head and chest. Crest is also less shaggy than female Red-breasted.
Distribution
Breeding
Europe
Breeds in Iceland and north and west Britain, throughout Scandinvia and across Northern Europe from Poland eastwards. Scattered and isolated populations in the Alps, Denmark, Germany, and furthest south of all, very small numbers breed in northern Greece at Lake Prespa. Occasionally breeds far south of normal range and has bred several times in the Czech Republic and in Ireland. Bred for the first time in the Netherlands in 1996.
Asia
Breeds across Central and northern Asia to northern China, Sakhalin and occasionally Hokkaido.
North America
Breeds in south-east Alaska and western Canada across the forest zone of central Canada and east to Newfoundland. In the USA breeds in the north-east and around the Great Lakes, and in the west range extends south to northern California, Arizona and New Mexico.
Northernmost populations are migratory, most others resident or partial migrants, moving to coastal areas close to breeding site. In winter found in southern Britain and northern France east to Poland and in coastal Norway and Sweden. Small numbers also winter in Central Europe, the northern Mediterranean and the Black and Caspian Seas. In the Far East winters from Japan southwards and in North America winters over much of the USA except the north-central states and the Gulf Coast.
Vagrant to Greenland, the Faroes and Svalbard and south to Portugal and Spain, the Mediterranean islands, North Africa and Israel, also recorded on Bermuda.
Habitat
Breeds along rivers and lakeshores in wooded areas, sometimes on moorland, on passage and in winter on large freshwaters, ofen reservoirs and gravel-pits, sometimes estuaries but rarely on the sea.
Taxonomy
Nominate race breeds in Europe and northern Asia, larger and finer-billed race comatus in Central Asia and americanus in North America which has deeper base to bill and male has dark bar across bases of median coverts.
Behaviour
Voice
<flashmp3>Mergus merganser (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
