Red-breasted Merganser
(Mergus serrator)

Summary

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

The Red-breasted Merganser has a wide distribution in North America, from Alaska to the Maritime Provinces, and is known to breed at high latitudes as far up to 75 degrees North. Its population status and size are difficult to determine accurately due to the remoteness of parts of its breeding range, its habit of nesting in tree cavities and because the three merganser species cannot be distinguished during most fixed-wings aerial surveys. Both short- and long-term trends for this species appear to be increasing. Overall, mergansers are not heavily harvested by hunters, and the Red-breasted Merganser is the least harvested of the three species found in Canada. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.

Designations

Main designations for the species
DesignationStatusDateSubspecies, population
IUCN (Global)Least concern2018 
Wild Species (Canada)Secure2015 
Bird Conservation Region StrategyPriority Species2013 

Population status

Geographic area or populationPopulation change relative to ~1970ReliabilityStatus in relation to goal
CanadaModerate IncreaseMediumAt an Acceptable Level
 

Population estimate

Geographic area or populationPopulation estimate
Canada100,000 - 500,000 birds
 

Distribution maps

 

Migration strategy, occurrence

Short-distance migrant

Responsibility for conservation

Geographic areaResponsibility based on % of global population
CanadaHigh

General nesting period in Canada

Nesting period starts between early May and early June and ends between late July and mid-August, depending on the region. Before or after this period, the probability of an active nest is lower.
 

Conservation and management

The ecology of the Red-breasted Merganser is not well known throughout its North American range and has received little attention. This species is not well monitored, 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. The lack of a reliable survey for this species could hamper conservation efforts in the future.

 

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.

BCRs, marine biogeographic units, and sub-regions in which the species is listed as a priority
RegionSub-region and priority type
Arctic Plains and MountainsArctic Plains and Mountains, sub-region and priority type: Quebec -- Other
Atlantic Northern ForestsAtlantic Northern Forests, sub-region and priority type: Quebec -- Other
Boreal Softwood ShieldBoreal Softwood Shield, sub-region and priority type: Quebec -- Other
Taiga Shield and Hudson PlainsTaiga Shield and Hudson Plains, sub-region and priority type: Quebec -- Other
 

References