The Common Merganser is a large species of duck. They have a relatively cosmopolitan distribution, with populations found across North America, Europe, and parts of Asia.
Male Common Mergansers in breeding plumage are easily identified. The head and outer wing feathers are black with a green shimmer. The body is white, while the rump and tail are grey.
Mergansers use their serrated bills to help them grip their main source of food: fish. This unique feature leads to the nickname "sawbill."
