Red-breasted Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser, Middelste Zaagbek, Mittelsäger, Merganso-de-poupa, Serreta Mediana

 Mergus serrator

Spotted in the Alentejo region of Portugal.            Red-breasted Merganser sound

The Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) is a diving duck, one of the sawbills.

The adult Red-breasted Merganser is 51–62 cm (20–24 in) long with a 70–86 cm (28–34 in) wingspan. It has a spiky crest and long thin red bill with serrated edges. The male has a dark head with a green sheen, a white neck with a rusty breast, a black back, and white underparts. Adult females have a rusty head and a greyish body. The juvenile is like the female, but lacks the white collar and has a smaller white wing patch.

The call of the female is a rasping prrak prrak, while the male gives a feeble hiccup-and-sneeze display call.

Red-breasted Mergansers dive and swim underwater. They mainly eat small fish, but also aquatic insects, crustaceans, and frogs.

Its breeding habitat is freshwater lakes and rivers across northern North America, Greenland, Europe, and Asia. It nests in sheltered locations on the ground near water. It is migratory and many northern breeders winter in coastal waters further south.

The Red-breasted Merganser is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

Other synonyms:

Asturian: Coríu Sierra, Pitorru Xerra
Azerbaijani: Uzunburun pazdimdik
Breton: An heskenneg-kuch
Catalan: Ànnera peixatera, Bec de serra mitjà
Catalan (Balears): Ànnera peixatera
Valencian: Bec de serra mitjà
Czech: Morcák prostrední
Welsh: Hwyaden ddanheddog fronrudd, Hwyaden frongoch
Danish: Toppet skallesluger
German: Mittelsaeger, Mittelsäger
English: Fish Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-breasted Sheldrake
Spanish: Mergansa de Pico Largo, Mergansa Pechiroja, Mergansa Pechirroja, Mergo Copetón, Pato Serrucho, Serreta Mediana
Spanish (Cuba): Pato Serrucho
Spanish (Dominican Rep.): Mergansa Pechiroja
Spanish (Mexico): Mergo Copetón
Estonian: Rohukoskel
Basque: Bec de serra mitjà, Zerra ertain, Zerra ertaina
Finnish: Tukkakoskelo
Faroese: Sagont, Sag-ont, Tannont, Tann-ont, Toppont, Topp-ont
French: Bec-scie à poitrine rous, Bec-scie à poitrine rousse, Canard à poitrine rouge, Harle huppé
Frisian: Bûnte Seachbek
Irish: Gairg, Síolta Rua, Tumaire
Gaelic: Sìolta Dhearg
Galician: Bec de serra mitjà, Mergo cristado
Manx: Thunnag Cleeau Yiarg, Thunnag yiarg
Haitian Creole French: Kanna fal wouj
Croatian: Mali ronac, Ronac brskavac
Hungarian: Örvös bukó
Icelandic: Toppönd
Italian: Smergo minore
Inuktitut: Paaq, Pyle
Japanese: umiaisa, Umi-aisa
Greenlandic: Miteq siorartooq, Paaq
Cornish: Sedhor Brongough
Latin: Merganser serrator, Mergus serrator
Maltese: Serra
Dutch: Middelste Zaagbek, Middelste zaagbekeend
Norwegian: Liten fiskand, Siland
Polish: szlachar, szlachar
Portuguese: merganso de poupa, Merganso-de-poupa
Romansh: Marel mesaun
Russian: Dlinnonosy Krokhal
Scots: Siolta dhearg
Northern Sami: Vuoktagoalsi
Slovenian: srednja žagarica, srednji žagar
Albanian: Zhytësi i mesëm me callme
Serbian: srednji ronac
Swedish: Småskrake

Birdwatching Holiday Alentejo Portugal for birders. Individual Guided Birdwatching Tours and Trips.

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