Red-breasted Merganser
(Mergus serrator)

Overview

Summary

© Jukka Jantunen (flickr.com/photos/jukka_jantunen)
For additional photos and vocalizations, visit Dendroica. (Link opens in a new window.)

The Red-breasted Merganser is broadly distributed throughout Canada, and is known to breed at latitudes up to 75^o N. It is thought to be one of the least abundant sea ducks in Canada. The national population is thought to be increasing. However, its population status and numbers are difficult to accurately determine or estimate since aerial surveys do not always distinguish between the three species of mergansers. The secretive nature of the Red-breasted Merganser, the remoteness of some of its breeding range, and tree cavity-nesting habits also complicate the monitoring of this species. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.

Designations

Population status

Population estimate

Distribution maps

• BirdLife International / NatureServe

Migration strategy, occurrence

Responsibility for conservation of world population

Conservation and management

The ecology of the Red-breasted Merganser is not well known in North America and has received little attention and the species is not well monitored. This species is not a popular game bird among hunters, and the continental harvest is not well estimated. In Canada, they are hunted predominantly in the Atlantic Provinces, Quebec and Ontario.

Bird conservation region strategies

Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:

• conservation concerns (i.e., species vulnerable due to population size, distribution, population trend, abundance, or threats)
• stewardship responsibilities (i.e., species that typify the regional avifauna or have a large proportion of their range or population in the sub-region)
• management concerns (i.e., species that require ongoing management because of their socio-economic importance as game species, or because of their impacts on other species or habitats)
• other concerns (i.e., species deemed a priority by regional experts for other reasons than those listed above or because they are listed as species at risk or concern at the provincial level)

Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.

References

• Canadian Wildlife Service Waterfowl Committee. 2014. Population Status of Migratory Game Birds in Canada: November 2014. CWS Migratory Birds Regulatory Report Number 44. Canadian Wildlife Service Waterfowl Committee. 2014. Population Status of Migratory Game Birds in Canada: November 2014. CWS Migratory Birds Regulatory Report Number 44. (Link)