Difference Between Mergansers and Other Ducks: March 4, 2022

Typical ducks have wide flat bills:

Mallard (male)
Gadwall (male)
Common Goldeneye (male)

Mergansers have long, serrated bills.

Merganser bill (photo: flickr.com)

We saw several dozen Common Mergansers today in the Humber River at Lambton Woods.

Common Mergansers
Common Mergansers (male)
Common Merganser (male)
Common Mergansers
Common Mergansers (male)
Common Merganser (female)
Common Mergansers

Other birds:

Mallards
Common Goldeneye
Northern Cardinal (male)
Common Goldeneye (male)
Herring Gull
Song Sparrow
Downy Woodpecker (male)
Mallards
Dar-eyed Junco (male)
Downy Woodpecker (male)
American Black Ducks
Blue Jay
Red-bellied Woodpecker
American Robin
Mourning Dove
Ring-billed Gull
Common Goldeneye (male)
Common Goldeneye (female)

Today’s group:

MAILBOX

Hi Miles,
Saw this on Facebook and thought it might be of interest to folks in your classes!

Free Lecture: Trumpeter Swans – Back in Ontario’s Ecosystem – Toronto Field Naturalists

NATURE POETRY

Then the golden hour
Will tick its last
And the flame will go down in the flower.
A briefer length of moon
Will mark the sea-line and the yellow dune.     – Arna Bontemps (1902–73)

Miles Hearn

1 thought on “Difference Between Mergansers and Other Ducks: March 4, 2022

  1. rosemarie fischer

    so glad you are telling us about the difference in the beaks,it helps. Also,why does the red-bellied woodpecker not have a red belly but a beautlful red head??? Or,we just never see the belly,is that it?
    thank you for all the beautiful and informative posts,Miles!!!!!!

    Reply

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