- Mergus serrator
Identification
L. 52-58 cm
W. 67-82 cm
Long, thin red bill with serrated edges
Adult Male
- Dark head with a green sheen
- White neck with
- Rusty breast
- Black back
- White underparts
Adult Female
- Rusty head
- Greyish body
Juvenile Like the female, but lacks the white collar and has a smaller white wing patch.
Distribution
Northern Palearctic and northern North America; winters southern Palearctic and Mexico
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
Freshwater lakes and rivers.
Behaviour
This is a diving duck. The diet is mainly small fish, aquatic insects and frogs.
Vocalisation
The call of the female is prak prrak
<flashmp3>Mergus serrator (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
- Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Avianweb
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Red-breasted Merganser. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 7 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Red-breasted_Merganser
External Links