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Red-breasted Merganser
Who is that duck with the crazy hairdo and thin bill? The Red-breasted Merganser can be seen on Lake Michigan in winter, where it dives for its food. Unfortunately, the Red-breasted Merganser is threatened by climate change, with three-quarters of its summer range expected to shift north by 2080. Here are some interesting facts about this duck with the punk-rock hairdo!
It can be confused with the Common Merganser, but there are several distinct differences. The Red-breasted Merganser generally nests on the ground in different types of habitats while the Common Merganser tends to nest in cavities. Red-breasted Mergansers have a more northerly breeding range and males of this species tend to have a wispier crest compared to Common Merganser.
Mergansers are sometimes known as sawbills because of their long, serrated bills that help them catch fish, which they catch while swimming underwater. Adult males may eat whole fish that is a foot long!
The Red-breasted Merganser is the fastest duck on earth and one of the fastest birds on earth.
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