Winter Common Mergansers

Yesterday and the day before I was able to observe and photograph winter Common Mergansers at my local pond on both sunny afternoons.

Adult hen and drake Common Mergansers in winter – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

I don’t usually see these colorful diving ducks in northern Utah during the breeding season and have to travel north to find them on their breeding grounds.  When I see them in the winter I am always happy to have them in my viewfinder.

Because of a question I was asked yesterday afternoon I thought that I would share some images of adult males, females, and first winter Common Mergansers.

Winter Common Merganser Males

Drake Common Merganser in winter – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Common Merganser males during the winter are unmistakable in their breeding or Definitive Basic Plumage. Their long, sleek bodies with black and white plumage combined with their dark heads that can have a dark green sheen plus their thin, red serrated bills makes them stand out on any body of water. It would be hard to miss them.

Male Common Merganser drinking water – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

I’m seeing quite a few drake Common Mergansers on my local pond right now. I enjoy having them in my viewfinder as they search for food, preen, rest and take a drink of the cold water.

Common Merganser drakes might be confused with drake Red-breasted Mergansers but once you look closely at them both it becomes easier to identify which is which.

Winter Common Merganser Females

Adult Common Merganser female in winter – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Adult female Common Mergansers have the same long, sleek bodies that the males have.  Their coloration is different. They have gray bodies, rich rusty or russet brown heads with shaggy crests and a well defined white patch on their chins.

Adult female Common Merganser drinking water – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Underneath of the rust color of their necks adult female Common Mergansers are grayish white to white that blends into the gray of their bodies.

Adult female Common Mergansers can be mistaken for Red-breasted Mergansers. Eye color along with differences in plumage, crests, bill size and color can help with identification between those two similar species.

First Winter Common Mergansers

Swimming first winter Common Merganser – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

During the winter here in northern Utah I also see and photograph immature Common Mergansers. These young birds hatched last year and are going through their first winter. First winter Common Mergansers look similar to the adult females. They have mostly gray bodies and rusty brown heads like the females do. Their crests are not quite as shaggy as the crests of adult females.

In flight or on the water the first impression might be “adult female” Common Merganser.

First winter Common Merganser close up – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 320, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

The question I was asked yesterday was how I know the difference between adult females and first winter birds.

There is one difference that keys me in when I am viewing a first winter Common Merganser.

Two white patches – First winter Common Merganser – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 320, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

First winter Common Mergansers have two white patches on their faces. One large patch on their chin with a streak of russet above it then a thinner, smaller white patch in front of their eyes. Adult female Common Mergansers and adult males in nonbreeding plumage have only one white patch on their chins.

This time of year that double patch of white can vary but it can usually be seen.

Sexing first winter Common Mergansers is a topic I may cover another time on another day but this post has gotten long enough as it is.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of  my Common Merganser photos plus facts and information about this species.