common merganser

1. Bird Name
Common Merganser (English)
Mergus merganser (Latin)

2. Appearance
The common merganser is a large water bird with distinctive markings. The beak is long and sharp, characteristic of its diet. Males exhibit a stark contrast of dark and light with a green-black colored head, a white body, and a serrated dark beak. Females, on the other hand, possess a rusty-cinnamon head, a gray body, and sharp orange beak. The common merganser features a crest, which is more prominent in females. Its eyes are bright, almost fluorescent in both genders.

3. Size
The common merganser stretches to an average length ranging from 58 to 72 cm, and the wingspan can reach up to an impressive 86 cm. The birds generally weigh between 1.1 and 2.1 kg.

4. Habitat & Distribution
The common merganser is found across North America and Eurasia. They reside in river and lake habitats during the summer breeding season, and in coastal areas, large lakes, and large rivers during the winter.

5. Interesting Facts
An interesting fact about the common merganser is that they are excellent divers, capable of submerging for up to 2 minutes in search of food. These birds also have a highly unusual nesting style: they nest in cavities, often in large tree holes or sometimes in crevices in rocks. Additionally, the common merganser has a strong cultural significance across many Native American tribes, symbolizing “going with the flow” due to their riverine habitat.

6. Diet
Common mergansers are carnivorous, with their diet majorly consisting of fish. Occasionally, they may also eat aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, and small mammals when fish are scarce.

7. Behavior & Sounds
Common mergansers are known as quiet birds, but they do have a distinctive and varied call. Females produce a raspy, growling call, whereas males utter a raspy, froglike croak. During courtship displays, males stretch their necks up and coo to the female. Uniquely, these birds nest in cavities high in trees or preferably on the ground requiring a sturdy flight approach!

8. Conservation Status
According to the IUCN Red List, the common merganser is not currently threatened and is classified as a species of “Least Concern”.

9. Lifespan
In the wild, the average lifespan of the common merganser is around 13 years. Lifespan data for these birds in captivity is limited.

10. Additional Notes
In other languages, the common merganser is typically referred as “Grand Harle” in French, “Amerika merganser” in Dutch, and “Amerikanische Gänsesäger” in German. They play a crucial role in ecosystem balance by controlling fish population. Their interactions with humans are primarily peaceful although they can be seen as a nuisance by fish farmers due to their taste for fish.