Red-breasted Merganser

A slim diving duck with a shaggy crest. It is more common in saltwater and coastal waters than the Goosander. It is slender with a very thin, slightly upturned red bill. It is a summer visitor to northern coasts and a winter resident further south. Its 'punky' double-crest gives it a wild appearance.

Red-breasted Mergansers are fast, agile divers. They hunt in small groups in shallow coastal waters. Their courtship display involves the male stretching his neck and 'kicking' water while making a rasping sound. In flight, they show large white wing patches and fly low over the waves.