Common merganser
Scientific name: Mergus merganser Linnaeus, 1758
Overview
The common merganser or goosander is a large sea duck of rivers and lakes in forested areas of Europe, Asia, and North America. The common merganser eats mainly fish. It nests in holes in trees. The name "common merganser" is used in North America, while "goosander" is used in Eurasia.
From the Wikipedia article “Common merganser”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Conservation status
Least concern on the IUCN Red List, as recorded on Wikidata, citing The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021.3.
Size and lifespan
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Adult weight (male) | 1.71 kg |
| Adult weight (female) | 1.23 kg |
Source: Wikidata, citing “AVIAN BODY SIZES IN RELATION TO FECUNDITY, MATING SYSTEM, DISPLAY BEHAVIOR, AND RESOURCE SHARING”, article by Terje Lislevand et al published June 2007 in Ecology.
Where it lives
The Catalogue of Life records it in: Europe & Northern Asia (excluding China); North America; Oceania; Southern Asia.
Common names
Also known in English as Goosander.
Names in other languages (12)
- Arabic
- بلقشة شائعة
- Bengali
- সরুঠোঁট ডুবুরি হাঁস
- Chinese
- 普通秋沙鸭
- French
- Grand Harle, Harle bièvre
- German
- Gänsesäger
- Indonesian
- Itik paruh-gergaji besar
- Japanese
- カワアイサ
- Persian
- اردک ماهیخوار معمولی
- Portuguese
- merganso-grande
- Russian
- большой крохаль
- Spanish
- Mergo mayor, Serreta grande
- Turkish
- Büyük tarakdiş
Related animals
Sources
-
Catalogue of Life — scientific name, classification, common names and range.
Version 2026-09-11, CC BY 4.0.
This species in the Catalogue of Life.
Citation
Bánki, O., Roskov, Y., Döring, M., Ower, G., Hernández Robles, D. R., Plata Corredor, C. A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen, T., Örn, A., Pape, T., Hobern, D., Garnett, S., Little, H., DeWalt, R. E., Miller, J., Orrell, T., Aalbu, R., Abbott, J., Aedo, C., Aescht, E., et al. (2026). Catalogue of Life (Version 2026-09-11). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgz5n Source database: The Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
- GBIF — species page and recorded occurrences.
- Wikidata — conservation status, measurements, names in other languages. Q180991, CC0 1.0.
- Wikipedia — overview, from the article “Common merganser”, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Photo — Tony Hisgett, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. File page.
- Range map — Andreas Trepte, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons. File page.
Last updated: 4 October 2026