Mergus
Goosander ♀ ( Mergus merganser )
The Common Merganser ( Mergus ) are a genus of birds of the family Anatidae ( Anatidae ). They belong to the subfamily of ducks ( Anatinae ). Characteristic of the sawyer is the slim, serrated at the edges beak, which is bent in a hook shape at the top. He gives the species of this genus an appearance that they are very obvious different from the other ducks birds. Mergansers feed mainly on fish and are due to their beak shape in a position to take this well and hold. The genus contains five species.
Distribution and population
In Central Europe, two species are to be found. The red-breasted merganser ( Mergus serrator ) is about the size of a mallard, but longer and slimmer. It breeds in northern Eurasia and the Americas. In Central Europe it is more of a coastal bird and rarely found inland. An important wintering grounds for this type lies in the west of the Wadden coast on the North Sea. Here gather in late winter over 10,000 Red-breasted Merganser. The Goosander is larger than a mallard, and to identify good on his bold, at the top of hook-shaped bent beak. As the red-breasted merganser, he is a breeding bird of Eurasia and North America. In Central Europe it breeds in the Alps of Switzerland, Bavaria and North Tyrol. It also occurs as a breeding bird in Schleswig -Holstein, Mecklenburg -Western Pomerania and Brandenburg. During the winter half of the year it can be observed in large numbers on the coast.
The other three species are or were breeding birds in Asia, South America and New Zealand. The Aucklandsäger is extinct in modern times. His holdings were already after the settlement by Maori back strong and he was missing at the time of the settlement of New Zealand by Europeans already in the largest part of New Zealand. The change in the New Zealand habitats and the introduction of large mammals such as pigs and cats have meant that it is now extinct. He was last spotted in 1902. The Merganser is considered a very highly threatened species, may occur only 250 individuals in South America from the. Until now, no offspring of this type are managed have contributed in other, highly endangered ducks birds to trigger it to save it from extinction. The Goosander ( Mergus merganser ) is represented on the entire northern hemisphere. In the tundras of the northern hemisphere are also found the red-breasted merganser ( Mergus serrator ). The shed merganser is limited in its distribution to a small area in Asia and also has very low stock numbers on.
Species
- † Aucklandsäger ( Mergus australis)
- Merganser ( Mergus octosetaceus )
- Goosander ( Mergus merganser )
- Red-breasted Merganser ( Mergus serrator )
- Shed merganser ( Mergus squamatus )
The sawyers in the wider sense of occurring in North America Hooded Merganser ( Lophodytes cucullatus ) and the Smew ( Mergellus albellus ) can be counted.