Common Merganser Similar Species Comparison
Similar Species
Red-breasted Merganser
Breeding male
Male Red-breasted Mergansers have a cinnamon breast while male Common Mergansers have a white breast. Males also have grayish (not white) sides.
© Ian Davies | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, March 04, 2014Similar Species
Red-breasted Merganser
Female/nonbreeding male
Females/nonbreeding male Red-breasted Mergansers have less white on the chest than female Common Mergansers. They also do not have a white spot below the bill that is visible on female/nonbreeding male Common Mergansers.
© Alix d'Entremont | Macaulay LibraryNova Scotia, February 20, 2014Similar Species
Hooded Merganser
Adult male
Hooded Mergansers are smaller than Common Mergansers with a shorter black bill. Males have a large white patch on the head that Common Mergansers lack.
© Ryan Schain | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, November 24, 2015Similar Species
Hooded Merganser
Nonbreeding male
Female/nonbreeding male Hooded Mergansers are smaller and browner than Common Mergansers with darker bills and shaggier crests.
© Amanda Guercio | Macaulay LibraryOntario, February 12, 2012Similar Species
Common Goldeneye
Female
Common Goldeneyes are smaller than Common Merganser with a shorter and wider bill. Females lack the female Common Merganser's shaggy crest.
© Patrick J. Blake | Macaulay LibraryFlorida, January 02, 2017Similar Species
Barrow's Goldeneye
Female
Barrow's Goldeneyes are smaller than Common Merganser with a shorter and wider bill. They also have a yellow eye, whereas female Common Mergansers have a dark eye.
© Brian Sullivan | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 22, 2008Main Species
Common Merganser
Male (North American)
Large duck with long body and long, straight bill. Mostly white, with green head and orange-red bill.
© Alix d'Entremont | Macaulay LibraryNova Scotia, January 26, 2013Males with Mallards
© Jay McGowan | Macaulay LibraryNew York, March 11, 2015Not all videos have sound
Male and female (North American)
In flight, both sexes have dark outer wings with white patch on secondary flight feathers. Male also shows white on leading edge of wing.
© Chris Wood | Macaulay LibraryNew York, April 04, 2016Female with juveniles
© Jay McGowan | Macaulay LibraryNew York, June 02, 2015Not all videos have sound
Female (Eurasian)
Large duck with long, slender bill. Warm reddish head has ragged crest, white chin, and sharp border with white chest.
© Nigel Voaden | Macaulay LibraryEngland, January 28, 2017Female and chick (North American)
Female has gray body contrasting with cinnamon-red, crested head. May be seen with large numbers of ducklings in summer.
© Kenneth Pinnow | Macaulay LibraryPennsylvania, May 12, 2017Females/nonbreeding males
© Jay McGowan | Macaulay LibraryNew York, November 13, 2014Not all videos have sound
Male and female (North American)
Fairly common on freshwater, especially rivers. Often rests on boulders or logs in midstream.
© Jay McGowan | Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 05, 2017Male and female (North American)
Fairly common along freshwater lakes and rivers; rarer in saltwater or brackish water.
© Tim Lenz | Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 02, 2016Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
Compare with Similar Species
Click on an image to compare
Species in This Family
Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl(Order: Anseriformes, Family: Anatidae)
Need Bird ID Help? Try Merlin
Don't miss a thing! Join our email list
The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds,
birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation.