Common Merganser
Mergus merganser
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderAnseriformes
- FamilyAnatidae (Anàtids)
- GenusMergus (Typical Mergansers)
- SpeciesMergus merganser (Common Merganser)
The common merganser or goosander (Mergus merganser) is a large sea duck of rivers and lakes in forested areas of Europe, Asia, and North America. The common merganser eats mainly fish. It nests in holes in trees. The name "common merganser" is used in North America, while "goosander" is used in Eurasia. Wikipedia →
5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Merganser sighting in Vatnajokull National Park, based on 168 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Vatnajokull National Park
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serrator
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelope
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligula
Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnus
Common Eider
Somateria mollissima
Long-tailed Duck
Clangula hyemalis
Harlequin Duck
Histrionicus histrionicus
Common Teal
Anas crecca
Barrow's Goldeneye
Bucephala islandica
Gadwall
Mareca strepera
Greater Scaup
Aythya marila
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Common Merganser in Vatnajokull National Park?
About 8% of wildlife watchers report a Common Merganser sighting in Vatnajokull National Park, based on 168 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Common Merganser in Vatnajokull National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Common Merganser in Vatnajokull National Park in our monthly data.