Basic Information
Scientific classification
- Chinese name: Brown-sided Merganser
- Scientific name: Mirrored Merganser, *Lophodytes cucullatus*
- Classification: Waterfowl
- Family: Anseriformes, Anatidae, Brown-sided Merganser
Vital signs data
- Body length: 42-50 cm
- Weight: No verification information available.
- Lifespan: No verification data available.
Significant features
The male duck is quite handsome, with a reddish-brown punk head. When the head feathers are ridged, they have large patches of white feathers with clearly defined black edges.
Distribution and Habitat
It is distributed in Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, Mexico, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the United States.
Migratory birds: Dominican Republic, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Spain (Canary Islands), Virgin Islands.
They inhabit forests, ponds, power station dams and reservoirs, swamps, and beaver ponds. They prefer to rest and forage on calm, shallow sand or pebbles.
Appearance
The Brown-flanked Merganser measures 42-50 cm in length and has a wingspan of 56-70 cm. It is the smallest duck in North America. Sexes are dimorphic. The male is quite handsome, with a reddish-brown punk head. When the head feathers are ridged, they have large patches of white feathers with clearly defined black edges; at rest, these patches transform into simple, broad white stripes behind the eyes. The male's head is similar to the White-capped Magpie, but it has more markings and is generally slate-colored with a combination of black, white, and brown feathers. The head, neck, and wattles are black; the rump is grey; the tail is dark brownish-grey; the throat, breast, and abdomen are white. The sides of the breast are yellowish-brown or reddish-brown with irregular black edges.
Detailed introduction
The Hooded Merganser (scientific name: Lophodytes cucullatus) has no subspecies.
Brown-flanked Mergansers migrate, generally flying alone, but also in pairs or small flocks for short to medium distances. Most mainland Brown-flanked Mergansers inhabit freshwater areas or coastal regions extending north of the South Rangch region. Species in temperate regions are typically sedentary. They fly at low altitudes and at high speeds.
Listed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020 ver 3.1.
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