RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. 79 



Red-breasted Merganser. Mergus serrator Ijnn. 



The Red-breasted Merganser (Plate 29) breeds in northern 

 Europe, Asia, and America, and reaches north Africa and India 

 in winter. In many parts of Scotland, the Scottish islands, and 

 Ireland it is a common resident, but in England and Wales is 

 only a winter visitor and regular bird of passage, more abundant 

 on the west than the east coast. 



The drake is smaller than the Goosander, from which it may 

 at once be told by its chest band, reddish brown streaked with 

 black, by the noticeably longer crest, and the conspicuous white 

 and black patch on the shoulder. When swimming it shows 

 a creamy streak on the wing. The female closely resembles 

 the duck Goosander, but when with Mallards looks smaller, 

 whereas the Goosander is larger \ her neck is browner and 

 she shows a much darker and more distinct bar across the 

 wing patch than the female Goosander, but as she swims low 

 in the water the bar is often hidden and only visible when she 

 flaps or takes wing. When swimming she moves her head 

 forward and backward, after the manner of the Moorhen, a trick 

 I have not noticed in the other bird. The Merganser is far 

 more a sea duck than the Goosander ; indeed, in Cheshire I 

 have only occasionally seen it inland, though it is often plentiful 

 in the Dee and along the coast of North Wales. Its food, fish 

 of various kinds, is hunted below the surface, but in shallow 

 gutters it will swim with the head alone below, picking up small 

 flat fish and crustaceans. It is said that captured fish are 

 brought to the surface to be eaten, but probably this is only when 

 the captive is too large to be at once swallowed, and is so lively 

 that it has to be subdued. When the fish has been swallowed 

 a sip of water is taken, a common habit of fish-eaters. Sand- 

 eels are favourite food ; for these the birds dive excitedly near 

 the shore. 



