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I have never heard them called "sawbills" in the field. In the U.S., if people need to refer to the subgroup, they say "mergansers". "Ducks" would also be perfectly acceptable.
I've usually always seen them in totally different habitats, though appreciate they can overlap, especially up north. I've usually called them as either merganser or Goosander.
For over 30 years I lead coach trips for a natural history society with often over 40 birders + not once do I recall anyone say they "had a sawbill!"
I've usually always seen them in totally different habitats, though appreciate they can overlap, especially up north. I've usually called them as either merganser or Goosander.
For over 30 years I lead coach trips for a natural history society with often over 40 birders + not once do I recall anyone say they "had a sawbill!"
You seem to be preoccupied with what I call them rather than whether they're called as ducks which was the original point, do you call them as Ducks or not?
You seem to be preoccupied with what I call them rather than whether they're called as ducks which was the original point, do you call them as Ducks or not?
To add to this rather bizarre debate...... We're currently in the enviable position of having some Goosanders on our local pond. It's a patch tick for me,and a big hit with local non-birders in the park. I have found myself alerting locals to their presence by saying "Have you seen the the unusual ducks that are on the lake at the moment? The Goosanders?" Interestingly, not one of them has responded with "They're not ducks you idiot, they're sawbills." :smoke: