common merganser

The common merganser winters in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, on inland water bodies as well as saltwater creeks and bays.

Common mergansers sometimes feed together with hooded and red-breasted mergansers, diving ducks, sea ducks, cormorants, grebes, and loons.

Like other mergansers, this species is equipped with a serrated bill for catching fish.

common merganser females
Common Merganser females

Females of the species can be distinguished from other mergansers by their large size, reddish heads, and silver backs.

Related Information

Chesapeake Bay Waterfowl