This diving duck is recognized by its thin serrated bill and thin shaggy crest, which often forms two peaks on the back of the head. Male: In alternate plumage, males show a dark head with green iridescence. The neck is white, and the breast is reddish brown with dark streaks. A broad white line separates the black back from the gray sides. The belly is white. The bill and eyes are red, while the feet are reddish-orange. Female: Grayish-brown overall. The head and neck are pale reddish brown with a thin crest like that of the male. The chin, throat and breast are dingy grayish to white, fading to white on the belly. Contrast between the head, which is paler brown, and the breast, which is more gray, is less obvious than similar female Common Merganser. The white speculum is often visible on resting birds. Juvenile birds resemble adult female. Young males show a few dark feathers on the head.

Length: 41 (cm) Wingspan: 79 (cm)

Voice:

Usually silent. In courtship, male gives a thin two-syllable mewing call.

Habitat:

Nests near freshwater, brackish, and saltwater marshes in the tundra and boreal zones. Winters on coastal estuaries and sheltered bays. Much more likely than other Mergansers to occur in salt water.

Behavior:

Red-breasted Mergansers are strong fast fliers, but require a long running start to become airborne. They nest in colonies, usually within a colony of gulls or terns.

Feeding:

Dives for fish and crustaceans. Flocks of birds often cooperatively herd schools of fish.