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Home/Species/ Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

Linnaeus, 1758

Red-breasted Merganser

G5Secure Found in 107 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator). Photo by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Public Domain (U.S. Government Work), via ECOS.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, https://www.usa.gov/government-works
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105357
Element CodeABNJB21020
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderAnseriformes
FamilyAnatidae
GenusMergus
Other Common Names
Harle huppé (FR) Mergo Copetón (ES)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-09
Change Date1996-11-21
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Range Extent Comments
BREEDING: northern Alaska to Baffin Island and Newfoundland, south to Aleutians, southeastern Alaska, northern Alberta, Minnesota, Michigan, northern New York, northern Vermont, Maine, and Nova Scotia. NON-BREEDING: southern Alaska, Great Lakes, and Nova Scotia to Baja California, Gulf Coast, Florida; very rare in Hawaii. Winters primarily in coastal waters (especially the Atlantic coast from Maine to North Carolina, the Gulf coast along the Florida panhandle, and around Vancouver Island) but also in many inland areas (including especially southern Lake Huron and northern Utah) (Root 1988). Also breeds and winters in the Old World.
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

See Kaufman (1990) for information on identification.

Habitat

BREEDING: Rivers, ponds, lakes, and coastal areas (AOU 1983). Nests along inland waters, generally on ground on small islands with low vegetative cover, and also near seacoast and occasionally on shores of ocean or on coastal islands. NON-BREEDING: winters mainly in estuaries and sheltered bays, less frequently on large inland bodies of water (AOU 1983).

Reproduction

Clutch size: 6-16 (often 8-10); incubation: 29-35 days, by female; young first fly at estimated age of 59 days; first breeds at almost 2 years (Terres 1980, Palmer 1976).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - ConiferWoodland - Conifer
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5B,N5N
ProvinceRankNative
ArkansasS4NYes
North DakotaSNAYes
UtahS1NYes
DelawareS4NYes
New JerseySNAYes
Navajo NationSNAYes
PennsylvaniaS2NYes
MassachusettsS1B,S5NYes
New YorkS3Yes
MissouriSNAYes
New HampshireSNAYes
MichiganS3Yes
AlaskaS5B,S5NYes
ColoradoSNAYes
VirginiaSNRNYes
ArizonaS3NYes
IndianaS2NYes
WisconsinS3B,S4NYes
OregonSNAYes
MaineS3B,S5NYes
TexasS4NYes
IllinoisSNAYes
WyomingS4B,S5NYes
IowaS3NYes
North CarolinaS5NYes
District of ColumbiaS2NYes
NebraskaSNRNYes
West VirginiaS3NYes
WashingtonS3NYes
New MexicoS4NYes
IdahoS1MYes
AlabamaS5NYes
South CarolinaS5NYes
FloridaSNRNYes
MississippiS5NYes
KansasSNAYes
OhioSNAYes
MarylandS3NYes
VermontS1BYes
CaliforniaSNRNYes
Rhode IslandSNAYes
LouisianaS5NYes
South DakotaSNAYes
MontanaSNAYes
TennesseeS4NYes
GeorgiaS5Yes
KentuckySNAYes
MinnesotaSNRBYes
NevadaSNAYes
ConnecticutSNAYes
CanadaN5B,N5N
ProvinceRankNative
ManitobaS4BYes
British ColumbiaS4B,SNRNYes
Prince Edward IslandSUB,S5NYes
New BrunswickS3B,S4N,S5MYes
AlbertaSUBYes
Nova ScotiaS3B,S5M,S5NYes
Northwest TerritoriesS5Yes
NunavutS5BYes
OntarioS5Yes
Yukon TerritoryS4BYes
QuebecS4BYes
LabradorS4BYes
Island of NewfoundlandS4B,SUN,SUMYes
SaskatchewanS4BYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
11 - Climate change & severe weatherPervasive (71-100%)UnknownLow (long-term)
11.1 - Habitat shifting & alterationPervasive (71-100%)UnknownLow (long-term)

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Roadless Areas (107)
Alaska (72)
AreaForestAcres
Behm IslandsTongass National Forest4,777
Bering LakeChugach National Forest965,076
Bering LakeChugach National Forest965,076
Boston BarChugach National Forest53,617
Boston BarChugach National Forest53,617
Boston BarChugach National Forest53,617
Chilkat-West Lynn CanalTongass National Forest199,772
ChristovalTongass National Forest9,129
Chugach-12Chugach National Forest8,116
Chugach-12Chugach National Forest8,116
Chugach-14Chugach National Forest184
Chugach-14Chugach National Forest184
Chugach-15Chugach National Forest56
Chugach-15Chugach National Forest56
Chugach-3Chugach National Forest27,386
Chugach-3Chugach National Forest27,386
Chugach-4Chugach National Forest2,797
Chugach-4Chugach National Forest2,797
Chugach-5Chugach National Forest114
Chugach-5Chugach National Forest114
Chugach-6Chugach National Forest503
Chugach-6Chugach National Forest503
Chugach-8Chugach National Forest21,559
Chugach-8Chugach National Forest21,559
College FiordChugach National Forest1,130,818
College FiordChugach National Forest1,130,818
College FiordChugach National Forest1,130,818
Copper River WetlandsChugach National Forest85,972
Copper River WetlandsChugach National Forest85,972
Fidalgo-GravinaChugach National Forest257,968
Fidalgo-GravinaChugach National Forest257,968
HyderTongass National Forest121,723
Johnson PassChugach National Forest152,508
Johnson PassChugach National Forest152,508
Johnson PassChugach National Forest152,508
Juneau UrbanTongass National Forest101,581
Juneau-Skagway IcefieldTongass National Forest1,187,268
Kenai LakeChugach National Forest213,172
Kenai MountainsChugach National Forest306,600
Kenai MountainsChugach National Forest306,600
Kenai MountainsChugach National Forest306,600
LindenbergTongass National Forest25,855
Mansfield PeninsulaTongass National Forest54,991
MontagueChugach National Forest204,875
MontagueChugach National Forest204,875
Nellie JuanChugach National Forest713,697
Nellie JuanChugach National Forest713,697
Nellie JuanChugach National Forest713,697
North BaranofTongass National Forest314,089
North RevillaTongass National Forest215,430
Port AlexanderTongass National Forest120,681
Prince William Sound Is.Chugach National Forest118,698
Prince William Sound Is.Chugach National Forest118,698
RedoubtTongass National Forest68,347
ResurrectionChugach National Forest224,615
ResurrectionChugach National Forest224,615
ResurrectionChugach National Forest224,615
RhineTongass National Forest23,010
Roaded DonutChugach National Forest968
Sheridan GlacierChugach National Forest224,683
Sheridan GlacierChugach National Forest224,683
Sitka UrbanTongass National Forest112,003
Taku-SnettishamTongass National Forest664,928
Twenty MileChugach National Forest198,775
Twenty MileChugach National Forest198,775
Twenty MileChugach National Forest198,775
Upper SitukTongass National Forest16,789
Upper SitukTongass National Forest16,789
Upper SitukTongass National Forest16,789
Yakutat ForelandsTongass National Forest323,648
Yakutat ForelandsTongass National Forest323,648
Yakutat ForelandsTongass National Forest323,648
Arizona (2)
AreaForestAcres
Horse MesaTonto National Forest9,146
PinalenoCoronado National Forest130,920
California (3)
AreaForestAcres
Birch CreekInyo National Forest28,816
Greenhorn CreekSequoia National Forest28,226
ParsnipModoc National Forest8,485
Idaho (2)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekCaribou-Targhee National Forest118,582
Borah PeakSalmon-Challis National Forest130,463
Michigan (1)
AreaForestAcres
Government IslandHiawatha National Forest225
Montana (4)
AreaForestAcres
Bear - Marshall - Scapegoat - SwanLolo National Forest118,485
Big Snowy Mountains WsaLewis and Clark National Forest88,003
MadisonGallatin National Forest127,859
North AbsarokaCuster National Forest21,063
New Mexico (1)
AreaForestAcres
Meadow CreekGila National Forest34,167
Oregon (9)
AreaForestAcres
TenmileSiuslaw National Forest10,818
TenmileSiuslaw National Forest10,818
TenmileSiuslaw National Forest10,818
Umpqua SpitSiuslaw National Forest2,090
Umpqua SpitSiuslaw National Forest2,090
Umpqua SpitSiuslaw National Forest2,090
WoahinkSiuslaw National Forest5,309
WoahinkSiuslaw National Forest5,309
WoahinkSiuslaw National Forest5,309
Texas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Big CreekNational Forests in Texas1,447
Utah (6)
AreaForestAcres
418025Uinta National Forest32,698
418029Uinta National Forest15,673
CottonwoodDixie National Forest6,754
Lewis PeakWasatch-Cache National Forest11,616
Mt. Logan NorthWasatch-Cache National Forest18,930
North FrancisWasatch-Cache National Forest8,148
Virginia (3)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Gum RunGeorge Washington National Forest12,620
SkidmoreGeorge Washington National Forest5,641
Washington (1)
AreaForestAcres
Jupiter RidgeOlympic National Forest10,148
Wyoming (2)
AreaForestAcres
Little Sheep MountainBridger-Teton National Forest14,192
Mosquito Lake - Seven LakesBridger-Teton National Forest51,950
References (23)
  1. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1983. Check-list of North American Birds, 6th edition. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas. 877 pp.
  2. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in <i>The Auk</i>]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
  3. Bellrose, F. C. 1980. Ducks, geese and swans of North America. 3rd edition. Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 540 pp.
  4. BirdLife International. 2004b. Threatened birds of the world 2004. CD ROM. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK.
  5. Eadie, J. M., L.-P. L. Savard, and M. L. Mallory. 2000 Barrow's Goldeneye (BUCEPHALA ISLANDICA). No. 548 IN A. Poole and F. Gill, editors, The birds of North America. The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. 32pp.
  6. Grand, J.B., and P.L. Flint. 1997. Productivity of nesting Spectacled Eiders on the lower Kashunuk River, Alaska. Condor 100:926-932.
  7. Howell, S. N. G., and S. Webb. 1995. A guide to the birds of Mexico and northern Central America. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
  8. Johnson, S. R. and D. R. Herter. 1989. The Birds of the Beaufort Sea. BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc., Anchorage, Alaska. 372 pp.
  9. Jones, H. L., P. Balderamos, J. Caulfield, A. Caulfield, G. Crawford, T. M. Donegan, E. McRae, M. Meadows, M. Muschamp, P. Saqui, V. Spek, J. Urbina, and B. Zimmer. 2002. Fourteen new bird species for Belize. Cotinga 17:33-42.
  10. Kaufman, K., 1990. The practiced eye: Common Merganser and Red-breasted Merganser. American Birds 44(5):1203-1205.
  11. Palmer, R. S., editor. 1976. Handbook of North American birds. Vol. 3. Waterfowl (concluded). Eiders, wood ducks,diving ducks, mergansers, stifftails. Yale Univ. Press, New Haven. 560 pp.
  12. Parker III, T. A., D. F. Stotz, and J. W. Fitzpatrick. 1996. Ecological and distributional databases for neotropical birds. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
  13. Peterson, R.T. 1980b. A field guide to the birds of eastern and central North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.
  14. Peterson, R.T. 1990b. A field guide to western birds. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.
  15. Poole, A. F. and F. B. Gill. 1992. The birds of North America. The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. and The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA.
  16. Raffaele, H., J. Wiley, O. Garrido, A. Keith, and J. Raffaele. 1998. A guide to the birds of the West Indies. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 511 pp.
  17. Reed, A. 1975. Migration, homing, and mortality of breeding female eiders SOMATERIA MOLLISSIMA DRESSERI of the St. Lawrence estuary, Quebec. Ornis Scand. 6:41-47.
  18. Root, T. 1988. Atlas of wintering North American birds: An analysis of Christmas Bird Count data. University of Chicago Press. 336 pp.
  19. Sibley, D. A. 2000a. The Sibley guide to birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
  20. Swennen, C. 1990. Dispersal and migratory movements of eiders SOMATERIA MOLLISSIMA breeding in the Netherlands. Ornis Scand. 21:17-27.
  21. Terres, J. K. 1980. The Audubon Society encyclopedia of North American birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
  22. van de Wetering, D. 1997. Moult characteristics and habitat selection of post-breeding male Barrow's Goldeneye (BUCEPHALA ISLANDICA) in northern Yukon. Technical Report Series No. 296, Canadian Wildlife Service, Quebec Region.
  23. Wakeley, J. S., and H. L. Mendall. 1976. Migrational homing and survival of adult female eiders in Maine. Journal of Wildlife Management 40:15-21.