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Merganser? Grebe? (1 Viewer)

lassa8

Well-known member
United States
Not sure what these birds are. Any ideas? I saw them at Clarence Cannon National Wildlife Reserve along the Mississippi River about an hour drive north of St. Louis this past weekend. When I got too close to the birds they quickly plunged underwater and surfaced about 15-25 feet away.
 

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The prominent one on the first pic looks like a female Red-breasted Merganser. I'm guessing the rest are immature Red-breasteds? Any Common Mergansers in there?
 
Hooded Merganser, female with ducklings.

Red-breasted Merg and Common Merg both have longer, slenderer bodies and bills, and a more pronounced orangey head colour with a whiter chin

Michael
 
Checked on the maps - Hooded Merg is also the only merganser that breeds in MO, the other two you have to go a long way further north, up to northern MN and WI

Michael
 
I agree with crispycreme's ID of Red-Breasted Merganser. I have yet to see one!

Michael, a Hoodie wouldn't have a shaggy crest that is found on the RBM. The Hoodie's crest is more rounded.
 
I agree with Michael on Hooded Merganser. I guess like any other sawbill, the crest can get a bit worn at this time of year and can look a bit less neat and more shaggy (certainly happens with Goosander/ Common Merganser). I'm very used to seeing RB Mergs (albeit European birds) and these don't look like them.
 
Yeah, I think I got lazy looking at the shaggy crests. The duotone body indicates a Hooded. Common and Red-breasted seem to have a more uniform appearance along the body, according to Sibley.
 
Yes, as said by Andrew & Michael, they are all Hooded Merganesers. One of the individuals on photo #2 does indeed somewhat resemble a female Red-breasted, but the colouration & jizz is all wrong. It is also a Hooded (remember moult!)...
 
Thanks for the quick replies! Hooded merganser seemed like the most likely choice (based on it being the only breeding merganser listed on the NWR checklist) but I wasn't sure since I'd never seen one before
 
Rasmus Boegh said:
The general impression of shape (and flight). Apparently originates from the English military slang "GISS" (General Impression of Shape and Size).

As Rasmus states JIZZ is a term taken from British fighter pilots now widly used by birders on this side of the pond.
 
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