Merganser
(Mergus merganser)
Facts
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IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)
Facts about this animal
The goosander is a large “sea” duck, mostly found in freshwater habitats. They are excellent divers and are characterised by long bills with a hooked tip and serrated edges, used for catching fish. The body-weight of males is about 1670 g, of females about 1540 g.
Nest sites are preferably in tree cavities. 9 to 10 cream-coloured eggs are laid, which are incubated by the female alone for 32-35 days.
The food of the goosander consists mainly of fish, but also of bivalve shells, snails, leeches, aquatic lizards, crays, and frogs.
Did you know?
that goosanders are also as often known as "sawbills" because of the serrated edges to their bills?
| Factsheet | |
|---|---|
| Class | AVES |
| Order | ANSERIFORMES |
| Suborder | ANSERES |
| Family | ANATIDAE |
| Name (Scientific) | Mergus merganser |
| Name (English) | Merganser |
| Name (French) | Harle bièvre |
| Name (German) | Gänsesäger |
| Name (Spanish) | Serreta grande |
| Local names | Europe (UK): Goosander Netherlands: Grote Zaagbek Italy: Smergo maggiore Sweden: Storskrake Russland: Bolshoy Krokhal |
| CITES Status | Not listed |
| CMS Status | Appendix II (as Anatidae spp.) Included in AEWA |
Photo Copyright by
Mdf
Distribution
| Distribution | |
|---|---|
| Range | Europe, North Asia, North America |
| Habitat | On and along wooded lakes, rivers and coastal areas where trees are large enough to provide cavities for nesting |
| Wild population | Unknown |
| Zoo population | 65 reported to ISIS (2006) |
In the Zoo
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How this animal should be transported
For air transport, Container Note 18 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.
Find this animal on ZooLex
Photo Copyright by
Toivo Toivanen & Tiina Toppila
Why do zoos keep this animal
The merganser, or goosander, is not a threatened species. Zoos keep them for educational purposes as an ambassador species for river conservation, and for improving the negative reputation they have with fishermen.
How this animal should be kept
For up to 4 birds an enclosure with a land surface of 50 m² and a water surface of 30 m². or an aviary of 24 m² including a pool of 12 m² is recommended.
Note that WAZA has adopted the policy of outphasing pinioning, and that several countries prohibit the use of surgical methods for flight restraint.