Goosander Mergus merganser   [Linnaeus, 1758]

Other Names Trends & Distribution Breeding & Survival Biometrics Books & Links

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Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae
BTO Codes: GD, GOOSA EURING No: 2230
Number in Britain: 2600 pairs (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: GREEN
European: Not a species of concern
Global: Least Concern ( Details )
Links to: Images   Videos   Sound  
Status in UK: (A)  Resident Breeder, Winter Visitor
Subspecies: merganser recorded in Britain (of 3 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 62 cm Wingspan: 90 cm Weight: M: 1.7 kg   F: 1.3 kg    
Scientific name from: L.: mergus=a waterbird and L.: mergus=a waterbird + anser=a goose
World Distribution: BREEDS: n&c Eurasia, w&n North America, WINTERS: south to Mediterranean, Black Seas & c Mexico
Habitat: Lakes, rivers, on migration estuaries
Diet: Primarily fish, often pursued by swimming short distances
TitBit: A young Goosander requires 33kg of fish to reach adulthood, and birds are shot (under licence) on several (mostly Scottish) rivers to protect angling interests, though how effective this is debated.  

Population and Distribution

Population Trend: Wider Countryside Report
Regional Trends: No regional trends available
Distribution: No distribution maps available
British Population Size:
    Summer: 2300 to 2900 pairs in 1987
    Winter: 12 thousand individuals in 2004-09     Note: Best estimate
    First Record: 1662 [Fossil evidence from Wolstonian (penultimate) glaciation, c. 150,000 yr ago]
    First Breeding Record: Perthshire (and probably earlier) 1871
    Conservation Status: GREEN
   Previous Assessments: 2002-2007 GREEN     1996-2001 GREEN  
   Races of Concern: merganser GREEN
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    No habitat data from BBS
European Population Size:
    Summer: 39 to 65 thousand pairs
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: WBD(II*), Bern(III), Bonn(II), AEWA
Survey Results: BirdTrack
Wetland Bird Survey Alerts

Breeding and Survival

Egg Size: 68 x 47 mm Egg Weight: 82.0 g (of which 10 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 9
Clutch Size: 8 - 11 eggs
Incubation: 30- 32 days   by the: Female
Fledging: 60 - 70days as: Precocial, downy
First Clutches Laid: Unavailable
Number of Broods: 1
Trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed: 28 (Annual Totals)
Adult Survival: 0.820       
Juvenile Survival: No data
Age at First Breeding: 2 years Typical Lifespan: 7 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 9 years 6 months 28 days (set in 1984)
Summary of Ringing Recoveries       

Biometrics

Ring Size: H
Wing Length Adult: Insufficient Data
Juvenile: Insufficient Data
Male: Insufficient Data
Female: Insufficient Data
Weight Adult: Insufficient Data
Juvenile: Insufficient Data
Male: Insufficient Data
Female: Insufficient Data

Other Names

Common Merganser
Gaelic: Sìolta Welsh: Hwyaden Ddanheddog
Danish: Stor skallesluger Dutch: Grote zaagbek
Finnish: Isokoskelo French: Harle bièvre
German: Gänsesäger Hungarian: Nagy bukó
Icelandic: Gulönd Irish: Síolta Mhór
Italian: Smergo maggiore Norwegian: Laksand
Polish: Nuroges Portuguese: Merganso-grande
Spanish: Serreta grande Swedish: Storskrake

For More Information...

Books and Monographs:
   Kear, J 2005 Ducks, geese and swans Oxford University Press [598.48 KEA]
   Cabot, D. 2009 Wildfowl Collins, London
See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead