Red-breasted Merganser

Name: Red-breasted Merganser

Scientific name: Mergus serrator

Category: Birds

Nature Stars: 60

What are nature stars?

About: A medium-sized duck, part of a group known as 'sawbills' after their long narrow bills with saw-like 'teeth' for gripping fish. More likely to be found on the sea than Goosander.

How to identify: The Red-breasted Merganser is similar to Goosander, but with a thinner bill, grey sides, a reddish-brown breast and a longer, straggly crest.

Where: Nests on lakes and rivers in the north and west of Britain. A more common winter visitor to coastal waters.

Natural Superpowers

• Predator: 70
• Agility: 30
• Rarity: 70
• Cute factor: 50
• Traveller: 80

Fantastic fact: Apart from the Goosander (known in North America as the Common Merganser), there are three other species of merganser: the Hooded Merganser nests in North America, the Scaly-sided Merganser is a rare bird of China, Japan and Korea, and the very rare Brazi

Photograph credit: tbc