The Red-breasted Merganser may be the fastest duck in level flight, recorded at over 100 mph. Males have a shaggy double crest, white neck ring, and rusty breast. It winters on both coasts and the Great Lakes, often chasing fish in cooperative groups. Unlike the Common Merganser, it also nests in coastal salt marshes.
Best time to see a Red-breasted Merganser
The best time to see a Red-breasted Merganser is January–April, when about 71% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 30,352 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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Recent Red-breasted Merganser sightings near you
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