Day 304: Red-breasted Merganser

The Red-breasted Merganser is a medium-sized duck with a wide distribution in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring more frequently in salt water and estuaries. It has a serrated bill that helps it to catch prey underwater.

The Red-breasted Merganser has a spiky crest. The male has a dark head with a green sheen, a white neck with a rusty breast, a black back, and white underparts. Adult females have a rusty head and a greyish body. These photos are from a distance, but you can see the spiky crests. The male is on the left, and the female is on the right.