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Common merganser (Mergus merganser) and ducklings, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, 2015.

Like other species in the genus Mergus, they have a crest of longer head feathers (that usually lie flat). All mergansers have serrated-edged bills to help them grip their preferred prey: fish. That's why they are often called 'sawbills'. However, the common merganser - a lover of both salt and fresh water - has a wider range of aquatic prey including molluscs, crustaceans, worms, insect larvae and amphibians. They have even taken down small mammals and birds, though this is rare. In large streams, they will float for miles and either fly back to their original location or dive incessantly to fish the entire way back! They float leisurely like ducks but also swim deep in water like cormorants, especially upstream. When disturbed on land they will resort to running (if necessary), assuming a posture like a penguin, running and stumbling often.

U.S. National Park Service

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Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Code: BICA

National Park Service Facebook Photos

Title: Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
URL: https://www.facebook.com/BighornCanyonNRA/?fref=ts

20150608

06/08/2015

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Organization: Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
Address: 5 Avenue B, PO Box 7458, Fort Smith, MT 59035-7458

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