Description:

Very long-bodied with full single crest; deeper-based bill, with a larger nail. Male has dark green head and whitish breast and flanks (with variable pink wash). Female, and eclipse male, have chestnut head and upper neck with shaggy crest, which contrasts with white throat and greyish neck, and show white secondaries in flight.

Distribution:

Common passage migrant through major waterways and lakes in Gilgit-Baltistan, mainly eastern parts. Lands during cloudy/harsh weather, at lakes, marshes, rivers and streams with fringe vegetation up to 3500m, avoiding turbulent waters.

Behavior:

Feeds mostly by diving from surface, generally after scanning with head submerged, and even turning over small rocks to access prey; occasionally on surface and may upend. Prey generally swallowed only at surface. Mainly feeds on fish; also aquatic invertebrates (molluscs, crustaceans, worms, insects and larvae), amphibians, small mammals and birds; little plant material taken.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Common Merganser in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Common Merganser

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.