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Common merganser
Well-travelled waterfowl
Most ducks' quacks are worse than their bites, but a nip from this toothy beak could cause major pain – just ask a fish. The common merganser is a diving duck found all over the Northern Hemisphere, snaring freshwater and saltwater swimmers alike in its sawtooth maw. To give an idea of the merganser's massive migratory range, the birds' breeding grounds extend well north of the Arctic Circle, while this specimen was spotted deep within the American Southwest in Flagstaff in the US state of Arizona.
Well-travelled waterfowl
Most ducks' quacks are worse than their bites, but a nip from this toothy beak could cause major pain – just ask a fish. The common merganser is a diving duck found all over the Northern Hemisphere, snaring freshwater and saltwater swimmers alike in its sawtooth maw. To give an idea of the merganser's massive migratory range, the birds' breeding grounds extend well north of the Arctic Circle, while this specimen was spotted deep within the American Southwest in Flagstaff in the US state of Arizona.
With a breeding range circling the entire Northern Hemisphere, this waterfowl is widespread indeed.
© JeffGoulden / E+ / Getty Images 2026-09-11 08:45:51 :