25 inches long with a wingspan of 34 inches. The Common Merganser is a large, sleek, diving duck with a thin long pointed red bill with serrated edges. The adult male has a greenish head and upper neck. The breast, belly, and flanks are white. The back is black and the upperwing has white patches. The female has a white chin. There is a shaggy tapered crest on her head. The red-brown on the head meets the pale breast in a crisp line. The body is gray and the belly and breast are white.
The Common Merganser is a common winter visitor to the Omaha area. It may be seen flying over the Forest or along the Missouri River. They arrive in November and leave by March.
The Common Merganser is very similar to a Red-breasted Merganser and care must be taken in identification of these two birds.
The Common Merganser is also known as Goosander. It is a large, cold-hardy, fish-eating duck. In flight, this duck has a flat, pointed profile. The call is seldom heard in our area.
Disclaimer: The content of NatureSearch is provided by dedicated volunteer Naturalists of Fontenelle Forest who strive to provide the most accurate information available. Contributors of the images retain their copyrights. The point of contact for this page is: Phil Swanson.