Red-breasted Merganser

11 hours ago

Spotted

The Red-breasted Merganser is a medium-sized diving duck, distinguished by its shaggy crest and slender, serrated red bill. Males have a dark green head, a rusty breast, and white flanks, making for a striking appearance.

Where to spot

Breeds across northern parts of North America, Europe, and Asia, typically near coastal or large inland freshwater bodies. Winters widely on coastal marine waters and large inland lakes across temperate regions globally.

How to spot

Scan open coastal waters, estuaries, and large freshwater lakes. Males are identified by their green-glossed head, shaggy crest, and rusty breast band. Females are duller, with a messy, reddish-brown crest and an indistinct white chin, differentiating them from Common Mergansers. Both have a slender, red, serrated bill.

When to spot

Best observed during migration and winter on open coastal waters and large lakes.

Where to spot

How to spot

When to spot

Best observed during migration and winter on open coastal waters and large lakes.

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Red-breasted Mergansers are highly agile in flight, capable of rapid take-offs and fast, direct flight paths, often seeming to skim the water's surface.

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