A squaw duck, also known as a merganser duck, is a type of waterfowl that belongs to the Mergus genus. There are three main species of merganser ducks: the common merganser, the red-breasted merganser, and the hooded merganser. Merganser ducks are sometimes referred to as “fish ducks” or “sawbills” due to their serrated bills which are well-adapted for catching fish.
What do squaw ducks look like?
Squaw ducks are medium to large-sized diving ducks. They have long, slender bodies and relatively large heads and bills compared to other duck species. Their most distinctive feature is their thin, serrated bill which has saw-like edges to help grip slippery fish. Males and females have different plumage colors.
Male common mergansers have dark green heads with a spiky double crest, white necks with two black stripes, gray backs, and bright red-orange legs and feet. Females are gray-bodied with a reddish-brown head and white chin. Males also tend to be slightly larger than females.
Red-breasted mergansers display the most vivid plumage. Males have deep green heads, white necks with black and red stripes, gray mantles, black rumps, and gray tails. Females are gray-bodied with reddish-brown head and crest. Hooded mergansers are the smallest merganser species. Males have black crests that can be fanned into a large black hood, black backs, white breast and flanks, and black tails. Females are gray with reddish-brown crests.
Where do squaw ducks live?
Mergansers inhabit freshwater lakes, rivers, and coastal marine areas throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. In North America, they breed predominantly in Canada and Alaska and the northern parts of the continental United States. They migrate south to more temperate coastal waters for the winter.
Common mergansers and red-breasted mergansers are both found along the entire west coast from Alaska to Baja California. On the east coast, they range from Labrador to Florida. Hooded mergansers occupy a more central range with breeding populations concentrated in the northern U.S. from Maine to Montana and south to the Carolinas and Missouri.
All three merganser species favor areas of clear water with plenty of fish and adjacent nesting sites. Common mergansers nest along shorelines and islands on freshwater lakes and rivers. Red-breasted mergansers prefer coastal habitats and nest on islands in estuaries and lakes. Hooded mergansers use forested wetlands, beaver ponds, and wooded swamps near rivers.
What do squaw ducks eat?
As their “fish duck” nickname suggests, mergansers feed almost exclusively on fish and other aquatic prey. Their slender, serrated bills allow them to securely grasp slippery fish like salmon, trout, herring, and smelt. Studies of their diet contents have found that small fish 3-10 inches long make up over 75% of the food items.
Aside from fish, mergansers also occasionally eat crustaceans, aquatic insects, frogs, and other small aquatic vertebrates. They dive underwater to pursue prey, using their paired nostrils to locate fish by their scent. They can dive to depths over 30 feet to catch fish congregating in deeper waters.
How do squaw ducks reproduce and raise young?
Mergansers begin pairing up in winter flocks before migrating back to their breeding grounds in early spring. Once settled in their summer range, males will court females by performing ritualized displays in the water. Common courtship behaviors include head-bobbing, wing-lifting, and chasing females in the water.
After mating occurs, females will nest in tree cavities, rock crevices, under brush, or in nest boxes if available. Merganser broods typically range from 5-12 eggs. The female alone incubates the eggs for around 30 days until they hatch. The young ducklings are able to swim and dive right away after hatching.
The female merganser protects and cares for the young after they hatch while leading them to the safest feeding areas on lakes and rivers during their 60-75 day fledgling period. Ducklings grow quickly and are able to fly and become independent at around 2 months old in early summer.
What is the conservation status of squaw ducks?
Overall, merganser duck populations remain widespread and stable enough that they are listed as species of least concern by the IUCN. However, habitat loss in some areas has led to localized declines in certain breeding populations.
For example, the common merganser saw declines in inland breeding areas in the 1960s-80s due to wetland drainage and degradation. Conservation efforts since have stabilized populations in many areas. Red-breasted mergansers face threats from oil spills in coastal habitat while hooded merganser numbers are reduced by the loss of forested wetlands.
While still relatively adaptable as a species, ongoing habitat conservation is needed to maintain healthy merganser populations into the future. Monitoring and reducing chemical pollution that can accumulate in waterfowl and their food sources is also important.
Are squaw ducks hunted?
Mergansers are legal game species for recreational waterfowl hunting across most of their range. They are hunted throughout the U.S. during regular duck hunting seasons. The annual harvest averages around 400,000 mergansers in the U.S. and Canada combined according to surveys.
The hooded merganser is the least hunted species of the group since their populations are more limited and concentrated. In areas dependent on stocked trout for recreational fishing, mergansers are sometimes persecuted by anglers who view them as competitors for the stocked fish.
However, most wildlife biologists do not believe merganser predation significantly affects overall fish populations in natural ecosystems. Regulated hunting and fishing practices ensure a sustainable balance can be maintained between recreational sport harvest and conservation of waterfowl populations.
What are some key facts about squaw ducks?
Here are some key facts to summarize squaw duck characteristics and ecology:
- Squaw ducks belong to the merganser genus of diving ducks
- The 3 main species are common, red-breasted, and hooded mergansers
- They have long, narrow bodies and serrated bills to eat fish
- Found on lakes, rivers, estuaries throughout North America, Europe, and Asia
- Omnivorous but feed mainly on small fish like salmon, trout, and herring
- Nest in tree cavities or rocky crevices near water
- Females lay 5-12 eggs and care for ducklings after hatching
- Populations stable overall but face some localized habitat loss
- Legally hunted waterfowl species with annual harvests in the hundreds of thousands
Conclusion
In summary, squaw ducks or mergansers are a distinctive type of waterfowl well-adapted to pursue fish and thrive in aquatic habitats across northern climates. Their serrated bills allow them to effectively catch fish while their slender diving bodies allow them to pursue prey underwater. While still common overall, conservation efforts are needed in some areas to preserve wetland habitats and maintain healthy breeding populations of these unique diving ducks into the future.