Features& Description
The Common Merganser, from its Latin name “Mergus merganser”, is a fairly large diving duck with a wingspan of around 94 cm.
Recognizable by its long, slender, hooked beak, its distinctive feature is that it has denticulated edges to ensure the capture of fish, their main food.
The male has a green head with an orange beak, white flanks and black back.
The female has a reddish-brown head, topped by a more ruffled hoopoe than the male (which covers it most of the time) and a grayish body.
In flight, the pointed wings can beat very quickly, and the bird can fly at speeds of up to 70 km/h.
Habitat(Biotope)
The Common Merganser is a river and lake bird. It likes the deep, calm waters of wooded areas with plenty of fish.
Wooded areas offer tree trunks where it nests in holes.
Behavior& habits
The Common Merganser is a diving bird capable of long apneas (between 20 and 30 seconds) at depths of up to 10m.
In winter, it can be observed on the lake in large groups, a bird with a gregarious instinct.
Reproductionand immature
The Common Merganser builds its nest in the hollow of a tree or in a hole.
The female lays between 8 and 12 eggs, which incubate for 30 days.
The ducklings leave the nest immediately after birth, and are carried on their mother’s back for several weeks.
They can take flight from 60 days of age.
Cryor Voice
Male Common Mergansers emit a low coo during courtship, pleasant and muffled but carrying quite far in the form of a “krrou-kroo”.
Females emit a sort of hoarse croaking “pra, pra-pra…” during courtship.
During flight, “prrah, prrah…” punctuate the rapid flapping of their wings.
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