Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra)
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)
Medium sized diving duck. Male all black except orange spot on bill. Female dark brown with contrasting light grey cheeks. Differs from Velvet Scoter in all plumages by lack of white wing-bars, and longer tail. Birds resting on the surface characteristically bow their head when occasionally flapping the wings. Wings held tight against body when diving. Last two characters usable for identification at very long range. Also tend to stay closer together in groups than Velvet Scoter.
Sound:More vocal than other Scoters. Short, whistling sounds, sometimes reminiscent of a male teal, but a little bit deeper in pitch.
Display-call male:
Distribution:
Xeno-canto: map
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCSounds:Recorded by Jarek Matusiak,http://www.xeno-canto.org ,CC license
Noticeably smaller and more slender than Goosander. Bill much thinner, especially at base. Both sexes with more shaggy crest than Goosander. Male: dark head, white collar. Only sawbill with (medium) dark chest. Female differs from Goosander by smooth transition from brown head to grey lower neck, and less contrasting white throat patch. Striking white wing-bars with crossing black stripe visible in flight.
Sound:Female call a harsh "karr karr". Male display sound a three-syllabic, fast, "chi-ka-wee" slightly resembling Goldeneye.
Female:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCCC-photo:JanetandPhil, Licence,Link,
CC-photo:JanetandPhil, Licence,Link,
Sounds:Recorded by Jelmer Poelstra,http://www.xeno-canto.org ,CC license