Common Merganzer, Mergus mergaser

Common Merganzer, Mergus merganser. Bird photographed in the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon, September 2019.

The Common Merganzer, Mergus merganser, is a member of the Anatidae Family of Ducks, Geese and Waterfowl. They are also known as the Goosander. They are mid-sized in stature. In Mexico they are wintertime visitors and found in the northern parts of the country in the States of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Durango, Sonora, Tamualipas, and Zacatecas at elevations below 2,800 m (9,200 feet). From a conservation perspective the Common Merganzer is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely distributed populations. They are found in clear freshwater lakes, ponds, and the headwaters of rivers in close proximity to trees. Their diet consists primarily of a wide variety of fishes and limited amounts of aquatic invertebrates.