COMMON MERGANSER (Mergus merganser) 



Mergansers are fish-ducks, with small heads, elongated bills, and saw- 

 edged mandibles for catchingtheirslippery prey. Their bodies are elongated 

 and they are more slender than most diving ducks. Although their diet is 

 primarily fish, they also feed on mollusks, crustaceans, water insects 

 and their larvae, and aquatic plants. The green head of the male is less 

 crested than the female, and often appears black. The female, with a 

 reddish head that displays more of a crest, also has a distinct white throat. 

 The merganser is a common breeding bird on rivers and lakes in both parks. 



Goshawk {Immature) 



Ian C. Tail 



RED-TAILED HAWK (Buteo jamaicensis) 



Members of the Buteo family are large, thick-bodied, broad-winged hawks. 

 In Yellowstone and Grand Teton the red-tailed hawk is the most common 

 and widely distributed Buteo, but may be difficult to distinguish from 

 Swainson's hawk. In both appearance and in their general ecology, the 

 two species are similar. The reddish tail, and the generally lighter stomach 

 and breast area of the red-tail help to distinguish it from the Swainson's 

 hawk. Red-tailed hawks prey primarily on small rodents, including the 

 Uinta ground squirrel. They soar effortlessly for hours in broad, sweeping 

 circles or sit silently on exposed perches. Red-tailed hawks inhabit a wide 

 range of habitats in both parks. Their shrill cry is one of the distinctly wild 

 sounds of the Yellowstone and Grand Teton .wilderness. 



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