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page.Goosander
Mergus merganser
Goosanders inhabit a large territory ranging from Iceland and the British Isles eastwards through northern Europe and the northern part of central Asia as far as northern China and Sakhalin. On rare occasions they also breed in the Swiss Alps. The species is either resident or, in the north of its range, fully migratory. In winter the goosander is often encountered inland on rivers. It nests chiefly on inland waters which must be unpolluted, sufficiently deep and bordered by old trees. In spring, the female seeks a suitable nesting cavity in old, usually broad-leaved trees, though the nest may also be located in rock cavities. A tree nest site is some 2.5 to 18 metres above the ground, a cliff site as high as 50 metres above the water. When a cavity is used, the eggs are laid on the bare surface, whereas in open nests the hollow is usually lined with grass, leaves and moss. Between midMarch and May, when the clutch of seven to 12 eggs is complete, the female begins incubating. Hatching is after 28 to 32 days, whereupon the chicks jump out of the nest into the water, and start swimming about with their mother. The goosander feeds mainlv on fish, but also eats crustaceans and other small animal life it finds in water. It can dive into water from the air. Eels, salmon and fish are among its favourite prey.
Click on any of the other bird links, these are Geese Barnacle Goose : Brent Goose : Canada Goose : Greylag Goose
Or on the Ducks: Gadwall : Goldeneye : Goosander : Mallard : Pintail : Pochard : Red Breasted Merganser : Red Crested Pochard : Shellduck : Shoveler : Teal : Tufted Duck : Wigeon
And the rest, in no real order of importance: Common Sandpiper : Coot. : Corncrake : Curlew. : Dunlin : Greenshank : Lapwing : Moorhen : Oystercatcher : Redshank : Ringed Plover : Snipe : Spotted Crake : Stone Curlew : Turnstone : Whimbrel : Woodcock.
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