Red-breasted Merganser look-alikes
Mergus serrator
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Open the appSeveral birds can be mistaken for the Red-breasted Merganser. Compare the key differences below to confirm your sighting.
Birds to compare
Common Merganser (Goosander)
Mergus merganser
Key differences
The Common Merganser male lacks the shaggy crest and rusty breast band; its head is smooth and dark green, and its body is mostly white. The female Common Merganser has a more sharply defined reddish-brown head with a distinct white chin patch and a less shaggy crest. Both species have different bill shapes; the Common Merganser's bill is thicker at the base and less slender.
Hooded Merganser
Lophodytes cucullatus
Key differences
The Hooded Merganser is smaller and has a distinctive fan-shaped crest. Males have a large white patch on the side of the head bordered by black, and a black-and-white patterned body. Females have a reddish-brown crest that is less shaggy than the Red-breasted Merganser's.
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