Mergus is the genus of the typical mergansers (/ m ɜːr ˈ ɡ æ n s ər z / mur-GAN-sərz) [1] fish-eating ducks in the subfamily Anatinae. The genus name is a Latin word used by Pliny the Elder and other Roman authors to refer to an unspecified waterbird.

The common merganser (North American) or goosander (Eurasian) (Mergus merganser) is a large sea duck of rivers and lakes in forested areas of Europe, Asia, and North America. The common merganser eats mainly fish. It nests in holes in trees.

Common Mergansers are streamlined ducks that float gracefully down small rivers or shallow shorelines. The males are striking with clean white bodies, dark green heads, and a slender, serrated red bill. The elegant gray-bodied females have rich, cinnamon heads with a short crest. In summer, look for them leading ducklings from eddy to eddy along streams or standing on a flat rock in the middle ...

Mergus merganser. At a Glance Range & Identification Behavior Conservation Explore More Back to Top. At a Glance. This fish-eating duck is the typical merganser of freshwater lakes. Its flocks are usually small, but these may combine into big concentrations sometimes at large reservoirs. Common Mergansers living along rivers may spend hours ...

Large duck with a sleek body and thin red bill. Breeding males have a dark green head and mostly white body with peachy blush on underparts. Females and immature males have rusty brown head and gray bodies with a cleanly demarcated white throat. Feeds in rivers, lakes, and large ponds by diving to catch fish. Hardy in winter, often staying as far north as open water permits.

Merganser, any of several species of Mergus, long-bodied, more or less crested diving ducks; though essentially freshwater birds, they are classified with scoters and goldeneyes in the sea duck tribe, Mergini (family Anatidae, order Anseriformes).

Apr 5, 2023 · Scientific Name: Mergus merganser. Length: 58–72 cm (23–28+1⁄2 in) Wingspan: 78–97 cm (30+1⁄2–38 in) Weight: 0.9–2.1 kg (2 lb 0 oz – 4 lb 10 oz) Contents show Physical Description. Adult male common mergansers in breeding plumage have a black head with iridescent green gloss, white lower neck and breast, black back and red bill ...

Read more about Common Merganser; Wintering in small groups on deep rivers, lakes, ponds and occasionally in coastal bays, this deep-diving species uses the saw-toothed edges of its bill to catch and hold on to fish.

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May 27, 2024 · The merganser (Mergus Merganser) is from the Anseriformes order, comprising over 180 species of waterfowl, and the Anatidae family includes birds such as ducks, geese, and swans. Mergus is the genus of fish-eating ducks, and Merganser is Latin for “goose.”