Common Merganser Couple

Here are a couple Common Mergansers. Mergansers (we also have Hooded Mergansers in my area) are ducks, as are other birds like scaups, teals, eiders, widgeons, and scoters. (Geese and swans aren't ducks, but are close relatives.)

The Common Merganser is one of our largest ducks. If you see them hanging around with Ring-necked Ducks, Buffleheads, or Hooded Mergansers, the Common Mergansers really stand out by their size.

They are diving ducks, meaning they frequently feed by diving under the water to get to food. By contrast, our dabbling ducks basically stay at the surface to eat, even if their heads are underwater with their tails sticking out of the water (which makes an interesting-but-not-flattering picture).

As a relatively large duck, they eat larger prey. They mostly eat fish.

The females have light brown heads while the males are green. I'm assuming these ducks were courting; this was from almost 2 months ago, so it's possible the female is on eggs or raising ducklings by now.

March 3, 2021 at the Raritan River Greenway
Photo 120273958, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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