Goosander - Mergus Merganser
The common merganser (North American) or goosander (Eurasian) (Mergus merganser) is a large duck of rivers and lakes in forested areas of Europe, northern and central Asia, and North America.
The common merganser eats fish and nests in holes in trees.
In most places, the common merganser is as much a frequenter of salt water as fresh water. In larger streams and rivers, they float down with the stream for a few miles, and either fly back again or more commonly fish their way back, diving incessantly the whole way. In smaller streams, they are present in pairs or smaller groups, and they float down, twisting round and round in the rapids, or fishing vigorously in a deep pool near the foot of a waterfall or rapid. When floating leisurely, they position themselves in water similar to ducks, but they also swim deep in water like cormorants, especially when swimming upstream. They often sit on a rock in the middle of the water, similar to cormorants, often half-opening their wings to the sun.
These handsome diving ducks are a member of the sawbill family, so called because of their long, serrated bills, used for catching fish. A largely freshwater bird, the goosander first bred in the UK in 1871. It built up numbers in Scotland and then since 1970 it has spread across northern England into Wales, reaching south-west England. Its love of salmon and trout has brought it into conflict with fishermen. It is gregarious, forming into flocks of several thousand in some parts of Europe.
Population:
UK breeding:
3,100-3,800 pairs
UK wintering:
12,000 birds
Tags: Goosander Mergansers Merganser Ducks Duck Avian Animal Animals Birds. Bird Bird Photography Wildlife. Wildbirds Wetlands Water-Birds Waterways Wildlife Photography Reservoirs River Birds Rivers River-Banks Estuaries Estuary Countryside Coastal Birds Coastline Coast Nature Nature Photography Nikon Ornithology Flight NGC NPC
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Goosander - Mergus Merganser
The common merganser (North American) or goosander (Eurasian) (Mergus merganser) is a large duck of rivers and lakes in forested areas of Europe, northern and central Asia, and North America.
The common merganser eats fish and nests in holes in trees.
In most places, the common merganser is as much a frequenter of salt water as fresh water. In larger streams and rivers, they float down with the stream for a few miles, and either fly back again or more commonly fish their way back, diving incessantly the whole way. In smaller streams, they are present in pairs or smaller groups, and they float down, twisting round and round in the rapids, or fishing vigorously in a deep pool near the foot of a waterfall or rapid. When floating leisurely, they position themselves in water similar to ducks, but they also swim deep in water like cormorants, especially when swimming upstream. They often sit on a rock in the middle of the water, similar to cormorants, often half-opening their wings to the sun.
These handsome diving ducks are a member of the sawbill family, so called because of their long, serrated bills, used for catching fish. A largely freshwater bird, the goosander first bred in the UK in 1871. It built up numbers in Scotland and then since 1970 it has spread across northern England into Wales, reaching south-west England. Its love of salmon and trout has brought it into conflict with fishermen. It is gregarious, forming into flocks of several thousand in some parts of Europe.
Population:
UK breeding:
3,100-3,800 pairs
UK wintering:
12,000 birds
Tags: Goosander Goosanders Ducks Merganser Mergansers River Birds Reservoirs Birds. Avian Animal Animals Wildlife. Wildbirds Wetlands Water-Birds Waterways Wildlife Photography Jeff Lack Photography Sea Birds Seashore Divers Rivers Countryside Nature
© All Rights Reserved
Goosander - Mergus Merganser
The common merganser (North American) or goosander (Eurasian) (Mergus merganser) is a large duck of rivers and lakes in forested areas of Europe, northern and central Asia, and North America.
The common merganser eats fish and nests in holes in trees.
In most places, the common merganser is as much a frequenter of salt water as fresh water. In larger streams and rivers, they float down with the stream for a few miles, and either fly back again or more commonly fish their way back, diving incessantly the whole way. In smaller streams, they are present in pairs or smaller groups, and they float down, twisting round and round in the rapids, or fishing vigorously in a deep pool near the foot of a waterfall or rapid. When floating leisurely, they position themselves in water similar to ducks, but they also swim deep in water like cormorants, especially when swimming upstream. They often sit on a rock in the middle of the water, similar to cormorants, often half-opening their wings to the sun.
These handsome diving ducks are a member of the sawbill family, so called because of their long, serrated bills, used for catching fish. A largely freshwater bird, the goosander first bred in the UK in 1871. It built up numbers in Scotland and then since 1970 it has spread across northern England into Wales, reaching south-west England. Its love of salmon and trout has brought it into conflict with fishermen. It is gregarious, forming into flocks of several thousand in some parts of Europe.
Population:
UK breeding:
3,100-3,800 pairs
UK wintering:
12,000 birds
Tags: Goosander Goosanders Merganser Mergansers Birds. Avian Animal Animals Wildlife. Wildbirds Wetlands Water-Birds Waterways Reservoirs River Birds Rivers Lakes Ponds Marshland Marshes Seabirds Shore-Birds Seashore Countryside Coastal-Birds Coastline Coast Nature NGC
© All Rights Reserved
Goosander - Mergus Merganser
The common merganser (North American) or goosander (Eurasian) (Mergus merganser) is a large duck of rivers and lakes in forested areas of Europe, northern and central Asia, and North America.
The common merganser eats fish and nests in holes in trees.
In most places, the common merganser is as much a frequenter of salt water as fresh water. In larger streams and rivers, they float down with the stream for a few miles, and either fly back again or more commonly fish their way back, diving incessantly the whole way. In smaller streams, they are present in pairs or smaller groups, and they float down, twisting round and round in the rapids, or fishing vigorously in a deep pool near the foot of a waterfall or rapid. When floating leisurely, they position themselves in water similar to ducks, but they also swim deep in water like cormorants, especially when swimming upstream. They often sit on a rock in the middle of the water, similar to cormorants, often half-opening their wings to the sun.
These handsome diving ducks are a member of the sawbill family, so called because of their long, serrated bills, used for catching fish. A largely freshwater bird, the goosander first bred in the UK in 1871. It built up numbers in Scotland and then since 1970 it has spread across northern England into Wales, reaching south-west England. Its love of salmon and trout has brought it into conflict with fishermen. It is gregarious, forming into flocks of several thousand in some parts of Europe.
Population:
UK breeding:
3,100-3,800 pairs
UK wintering:
12,000 birds
Tags: Goosander Goosanders Birds. Avian Animal Animals Wildlife. Wildbirds Wetlands Water-Birds Waterways Wildlife Photography Wildfowl Ducks Duck Estuaries Estuary Reservoirs Lakes Ponds River Birds Rivers Countryside Coastal-Birds Coastline Coast Jeff Lack Photography Nature NGC NPC
© All Rights Reserved
Goosander - Mergus Merganser
These handsome diving ducks are a member of the sawbill family, so called because of their long, serrated bills, used for catching fish. A largely freshwater bird, the goosander first bred in the UK in 1871. It built up numbers in Scotland and then since 1970 it has spread across northern England into Wales, reaching south-west England. Its love of salmon and trout has brought it into conflict with fishermen. It is gregarious, forming into flocks of several thousand in some parts of Europe.
Population:
UK breeding:
3,100-3,800 pairs
UK wintering:
12,000 birds
Tags: Goosander Goosanders Mergansers Merganser Birds. Avian Animal Animals Wildlife. Wildbirds Wetlands Water-Birds Waterways Wildlife Photography Jeff Lack Photography River Birds Rivers Lakes Ponds Countryside Nature Sawbills
© All Rights Reserved