Common Merganser
Common MerganserCommon Merganser

Common Merganser

Mergus merganser

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Wadden Sea National Park
731 Verified sightings at Wadden Sea National Park From 2019 to 2026
8,501 Verified sightings across all 46 parks From 2019 to 2026
January Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Common Merganser

The common merganser or goosander (Mergus merganser) 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.

The first formal description of the common merganser was written by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae. He introduced the current binomial name Mergus merganser. The genus name is a Latin word used by Pliny and other Roman authors to refer to an unspecified waterbird, and merganser is derived from mergus and anser, Latin for "goose". In 1843 John James Audubon used the name "Buff-breasted Merganser" in addition to "goosander" in his book The Birds of America.

The three subspecies differ in only minor detail: It is 58–72 cm (23–28+1⁄2 in) long with a 78–97 cm (30+1⁄2–38 in) wingspan and a weight of 0.9–2.1 kg (2 lb 0 oz – 4 lb 10 oz); males are on average slightly larger than females, but with some overlap. Like other species in the genus Mergus, it has a crest of longer head feathers, but these usually... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Wadden Sea National Park

Red-breasted Merganser
LC

Red-breasted Merganser

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mergus serrator

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Mallard
LC

Mallard

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas platyrhynchos

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Greylag Goose
LC

Greylag Goose

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anser anser

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Common Shelduck
LC

Common Shelduck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tadorna tadorna

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Barnacle Goose
LC

Barnacle Goose

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Branta leucopsis

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Gadwall
LC

Gadwall

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mareca strepera

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Tufted Duck
LC

Tufted Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aythya fuligula

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Eurasian Wigeon
LC

Eurasian Wigeon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mareca penelope

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Northern Shoveler
LC

Northern Shoveler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spatula clypeata

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Common Eider
NT

Common Eider

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Somateria mollissima

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Common Teal
LC

Common Teal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas crecca

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Egyptian Goose
LC

Egyptian Goose

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~70%
2 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~60%
3 Plitvice Lakes National Park 🇭🇷 Croatia
~40%
4 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
~20%
5 Triglav National Park 🇸🇮 Slovenia
~20%
6 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
7 Chitwan National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
~10%
8 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
9 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
10 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
11 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
12 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
13 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
14 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
15 Thingvellir National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
~10%
16 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
~10%
17 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
~10%
18 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
19 Nikko National Park 🇯🇵 Japan
~10%
20 Gauja National Park 🇱🇻 Latvia
~10%
21 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
22 Royal Manas National Park 🇧🇹 Bhutan
<5%
23 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
24 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
25 Manas National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
26 Royal Bardia National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
<5%
27 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
<5%
28 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
<5%
29 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
<5%
30 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
31 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
32 Namdapha National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
33 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
34 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
35 Ecrins National Park 🇫🇷 France
Insufficient data
36 Khangchendzonga National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
37 Jiuzhaigou National Park 🇨🇳 China
Insufficient data
38 Vanoise National Park 🇫🇷 France
Insufficient data
39 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
Insufficient data
40 Tatra National Park 🇸🇰 Slovakia
Insufficient data
41 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
42 Jim Corbett National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
43 Bandhavgarh National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
44 Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park 🇲🇳 Mongolia
Insufficient data
45 Kaziranga National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
46 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Common Merganser in Wadden Sea National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Common Merganser sighting in Wadden Sea National Park, based on 731 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Common Merganser in Wadden Sea National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Common Merganser in Wadden Sea National Park in our monthly data.

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