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Red-breasted Merganser
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| Red-breasted Merganser,
male © Mark
F. Wallner Courtesy of eNature |
Species
description provided by eNature
Description
19-26" (48-66 cm). Male has green head with wispy
crest, gray sides, white neck ring, and rusty breast. Female grayish,
with reddish-brown head shading gradually into gray of neck. Both
sexes are crested and have red bills.
Voice
Usually silent; various croaking and grunting notes during
courtship.
Habitat
Breeds on wooded lakes and tundra ponds; winters mainly
on salt water.
Nesting
8-10 olive-buff eggs in a down-lined depression concealed
under a bush or in a brush pile.
Range
Breeds in Alaska and across northern Canada to Newfoundland
and south to Great Lakes. Winters chiefly along coasts from Alaska
south to California, from Maritime Provinces south to Florida, and
along Gulf Coast. Also in Eurasia.
Discussion
The red-breasted merganser breeds farther north than its
relatives and is also the most common winter merganser on salt water,
especially where rocky coves provide good fishing. Like the other
two species, it lives mainly on fish, which it captures in swift
underwater dives, aided by its long pointed bill lined with sharp,
tooth-like projections. Often found searching for food alone, these
birds also gather in large flocks where fish are abundant.
