Common Merganser vs Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus merganser compared with Mergus serrator

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Merganser	Red-breasted Merganser
Kingdom same	Animalia (동물)	Animalia (동물)
Phylum same	Chordata (척삭동물)	Chordata (척삭동물)
Class same	Aves (새)	Aves (새)
Order same	Anseriformes (기러기목)	Anseriformes (기러기목)
Family same	Anatidae	Anatidae
Genus same	Mergus	Mergus
Species	Mergus merganser	Mergus serrator

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Merganser and Red-breasted Merganser share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Mergus.

Conservation Status

Common Merganser

LC — Least Concern

Red-breasted Merganser

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Merganser	Red-breasted Merganser
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Merganser

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States).

Red-breasted Merganser

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Colombia).

Common Merganser

<em>Mergus merganser</em>, the common merganser or goosander, is a large diving duck in the family Anatidae, broadly distributed across Europe and North America. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. This species is capable of aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic locomotion, but is most specialized for underwater pursuit of prey. The common merganser is typically piscivorous, diving in clear, fast-flowing rivers and lakes to catch fish using its serrated bill, which provides a firm grip on slippery prey. Males display striking breeding plumage with a dark green head, white body, and red bill, while females are grey with a rusty-brown head and crested nape. The species nests in tree cavities, cliff ledges, and artificial nest boxes near freshwater habitats. It requires clean, well-oxygenated rivers and lakes for foraging, making it sensitive to water quality degradation and overfishing of prey species. Common mergansers are migratory in northern parts of their range, moving to coastal and ice-free inland waters during winter months.

Red-breasted Merganser

붉은가슴비오리(Mergus serrator)는 IUCN 적색목록에서 최소관심(LC)으로 분류된다. 서식 범위 전역에서 광범위하고 풍부하며, 개체군이 안정적이고 즉각적인 보전 우려가 없다.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States