First Bird Week 2026 - Common Mergansers / by Dave Hileman

These are tricky. At first I assume I am looking at female Common Mergansers but non-breeding males are nearly identical. Only size is the distinct note, the white patch under chin is smaller on females but very difficult to see a difference. So I thought two males and a female but then read that the immature male is the same size as a female. So, perhaps a boys night out. Photographed in Alaska.