Epaulard vs Red-breasted Merganser

Orcinus orca compared with Mergus serrator

Key Differences

• Epaulard is Data Deficient while Red-breasted Merganser is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Epaulard	Red-breasted Merganser
Kingdom same	Animalia (สัตว์)	Animalia (สัตว์)
Phylum same	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)
Class	Mammalia (สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยน้ำนม)	Aves (นก)
Order	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)	Anseriformes (อันดับห่าน)
Family	Delphinidae (Oceanic Dolphins)	Anatidae
Genus	Orcinus (Orcas)	Mergus
Species	Orcinus orca	Mergus serrator

Evolutionary Relationship

Epaulard and Red-breasted Merganser share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)

Conservation Status

Epaulard

DD — Data Deficient

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Unknown ?

Red-breasted Merganser

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Epaulard	Red-breasted Merganser
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	50 years	—
Average Length	8.0 m	—
Average Weight	5.4 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Epaulard

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 11 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela).

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).

Epaulard

The largest member of the dolphin family, orcas reach up to 9 meters and 6 tonnes and are found in every ocean from Arctic to Antarctic. Apex predators living in matrilineal pods with distinct dialects, hunting strategies, and cultural traditions that differ between populations. Some populations specialize in fish, others in marine mammals. No natural predators; orcas sit at the top of every marine food chain they inhabit.

Red-breasted Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Widespread and abundant across its range, with stable populations and no immediate conservation concerns.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇨🇴 Colombia 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇹🇼 Taiwan