Stretch

Common merganser in Sarasota Bay near the Mote Marine Institute on Long Boat Key, Florida. The�common merganser�(mergus merganser) is found in... more

by Norman Johnson

Title

Stretch

Artist

Norman Johnson

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

Common merganser in Sarasota Bay near the Mote Marine Institute on Long Boat Key, Florida. The�common merganser�(mergus merganser) is found in forested areas with rivers and lakes from lower Alaska, across Canada to the Atlantic, down to New England, then diagonally across the United States to the southwest and Mexico. Occassionally found in the southeastern United States all the way to Florida. It is a short to mediaum range migrant, moving away from areas where the rivers and lakes freeze in the winter and can be found in both fresh and salt�water.

Called a goosander in Europe and Asia, the common merganser is a large duck measuring 23" to 28" in length with a wingspan of between 31" and 38." They have a crest of longer feathers that usually lie smoothly behind their rounded heads, not normally forming an erect crest. Adult breeding males have a white body, tinged variably with salmon pink,�a dark green iridescent head, and a grey tail and rump. The wings are mainly white on the inner half and black on the outer half and the back is black. Females have a rich cinnamon colored head with a small crest and a white chin. Their body is mostly grey. Females have white secondary flight feathers. Their slender bills are red to brownish red and so are their legs.

Uploaded

May 11th, 2014