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Red breasted merganser

Mergus serrator

Photo by shebebusynow
Published on Project Noah
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44.1751, -122.164

Field Notes

Description:

Gray ducks with brown heads with a point to the back of the head.

Habitat:

Rushing river in the Cascade Mountains.

Notes:

They tended to keep to the sides of the stream, but could navigate the rapids just fine.

Species ID Suggestions

Red-breasted merganser

Mergus serrator

Reference Link
The MnMs
2

Comments (3)
Annika
The photos of female mergansers on this site http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/115/_/Red-breasted_Merganser.aspx show a bit of the striping pattern under the eye - your spotting definitely seems to be of two females. I agree with Marta's ID even with the significant color variation.
shebebusynow
I certainly see what you mean. The resemblance is great, yet there are some definite differences between your spotting, what's illustrated in peterson's field guide to western (US) birds, and these. The white stripe above the bill is unique, and the hood didn't seem to go down. I suppose, like most animals, they vary from place to place.
The MnMs
Females or red-breasted merganser, I think. See the ressemblance in my spotting below, taken in Scotland (the species also exists in North America) http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/36152085

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Birds of the World
Mission
The Pacific Northwest Bioregion

Tags

Photographed
PublishedAugust 20, 2013

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