Kinzua Critters

Waterfowl

Red-breasted Merganser

(Mergus serrator)

Red-breasted Merganser

Species Description

**Description:** A slender, fish-eating duck with a long, thin red bill and a ragged, shaggy crest on the back of the head.
**Size & Weight:** 20–24 inches long. Weighs 1.8–2.9 lbs.
**Sexual Dimorphism:** Males have a dark green head, white neck ring, and gray back; females have a rusty-brown head and gray body.
**Behavior:** Master divers that hunt by sight. They are very fast fliers, often reaching speeds of 50 mph.
**Habitat:** Open waters of the reservoir and larger river channels during migration.