Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serratorOrder: ANSERIFORMES Family: Geese and Ducks (Anatidae)

Codes: Common Name: RBME Scientific Name: MERSER ITIS Taxonomic No.: 175187

Related Birds

Mallard
Common Goldeneye
Smew
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser

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Overview

Red-breasted Merganser: Medium-sized diving duck with black upperparts, gray sides, rust-brown breast, and white belly. Head, double crests, and neck are green and the neck ring is white. Bill is long, thin, and bright orange. Feet and legs are orange. Feeds mostly on fish, which it finds by diving.

Range and Habitat

Red-breasted Merganser: Breeds in Alaska and across northern Canada to Newfoundland and south to the Great Lakes. Spends winters chiefly along the coasts from Alaska south to California, from Maritime Provinces south to Florida, and along the Gulf Coast. Preferred habitat for breeding includes wooded lakes and tundra ponds; found mainly on saltwater during winter.

Topo Map: Duck-like Body

Listen to Call

Voice Text

Generally silent

Interesting Facts

The Red-breasted Merganser was first described in 1758 by Carolus Linnaeus, Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist.

They breed farther north and winter farther south than the other American mergansers.

It prefers salt water more than the other two species of merganser.

A group of ducks has many collective nouns, including a "brace", "flush", "paddling", "raft", and "team" of ducks.

Bird Term Glossary

Author

Gary Owen Dick

Artist

Yury Lisyak

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Red-breasted Merganser

● Song: Generally silent

● Foraging & Feeding: Red-breasted Merganser: Eats mostly fish; forages by diving from the surface to pursue prey underwater; groups often hunt cooperatively, herding fish into shallow water where they are easier to catch.

● Breeding & nesting: Red-breasted Merganser: Five to sixteen olive buff or green buff eggs are laid in a down-lined depression concealed under a bush or in a brush pile. Incubation ranges from 29 to 35 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Red-breasted Merganser: Common Merganser lacks distinct crest and has white underparts. Female has a clean-cut line between its rust-brown neck and white breast.

Flight Pattern

Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.

Red-breasted Merganser Body Illustration

● Range & Habitat: Red-breasted Merganser: Breeds in Alaska and across northern Canada to Newfoundland and south to the Great Lakes. Spends winters chiefly along the coasts from Alaska south to California, from Maritime Provinces south to Florida, and along the Gulf Coast. Preferred habitat for breeding includes wooded lakes and tundra ponds; found mainly on saltwater during winter.

^BreedingMonogamous

^PopulationWidespread

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight40 Ounces

Duck-like Body

Upperparts

Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.

Belly

The ventral part of the bird, or the area between the flanks on each side and the crissum and breast. Flight muscles are located between the belly and the breast.

Breast

The upper front part of a bird.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America