Common Merganser

"Mergus merganser

This goosander is a large duck found on lakes and rivers.

It eats fish and has a serrated bill to help them grip their prey. They eat mostly fish but will also eat mussels, shrimp, salamanders and some plant material.

Courtship displays by the male include swimming in circles around the female then stretching its neck upward with the bill pointing straight up.

They live up in tree cavities near water.

The female lays between 6 and 13 eggs and after 30 days they hatch then climb to the entrance and jump!

They can fly after 65 days.

They are 55 to 70cm in length.

They have a wingspan of 86cm.

They weigh in at between 900 and 2160g.

Common Merganser