Merginae
|
|
| Sea Ducks | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missing image Merginae.smew.arp.750pix.jpg Smew Smew (male) | ||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||
| Genera | ||||||||||||
|
Polysticta |
The seaducks, Merginae, form a subfamily of the duck, goose and swan family of birds, Anatidae.
As the name implies, most but not all, are essentially marine outside the breeding season. Many species have developed specialized salt glands to allow them to tolerate salt water, but these have not yet developed in young birds. Some of the mergansers prefer riverine habitats.
All but two of the 20 species in this group occupy habitats in far northern latitudes.
The fish-eating members of this group, such as the mergansers and Smew, have serrated edges to their bills to help them grip their prey. These are therefore often known as "sawbills".
Other seaducks take molluscs or crustaceans from the sea floor.
There are twenty species in ten genera.
Subfamily Merginae
- Genus Polysticta
- Steller's Eider Polysticta stelleri
- Genus Somateria, the eiders. These are large marine ducks The drakes have body plumage showing varying amounts of black and white, and distinctive head patterns.Females are brown.
- Common Eider Somateria mollissima
- Spectacled Eider Somateria fischeri
- King Eider Somateria spectabilis
- Genus Histrionicus
- Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicus
- Genus Camptorhynchus
- Labrador Duck Camptorhynchus labradorius (extinct)
- Genus Melanitta, the scoters. These are stocky marine ducks. The drakes are mostly black and have swollen bills. Females are brown.
- Common Scoter or Black Scoter Melanitta nigra
- Velvet Scoter or White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca
- Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata
- Genus Clangula
- Long-tailed Duck or Oldsquaw Clangula hyemalis
- Genus Bucephala, the goldeneyes. These are less marine than some species in this group, and will winter on fresh water. Drakes have white bodies with black backs and distinctive head markings. Females are grey with chestnut heads.
- Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
- Barrow's Goldeneye Bucephala islandica
- Bufflehead Bucephala albeola
- Genus Mergellus
- Smew Mergellus albellus
- Genus Lophodytes
- Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus
- Genus Mergus, the typical mergansers. These are the least marine of this group, only Red-breasted being common on the sea. These are large saw-billed ducks which dive for fish.
- Brazilian Merganser Mergus octosetaceus
- Auckland Islands Merganser Mergus australis (extinct)
- Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
- Common Merganser or Goosander Mergus merganser
- Chinese Merganser Mergus squamatus