Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)
~ 1828
About this artwork
This is a detailed scientific illustration of a male Common Merganser, depicted in profile, standing on a rock with its distinctive green head, white body, and black back clearly visible. The bird's webbed orange feet and serrated bill are accurately rendered, characteristic of early 20th-century ornithological studies.
Did you know?
Common Mergansers are diving ducks renowned for their sleek, streamlined bodies and specialized serrated bills, perfectly adapted for catching fish underwater. Interestingly, female mergansers are known for their 'crèches,' where they gather and collectively care for large broods of ducklings, sometimes numbering over fifty, a unique parenting strategy among waterfowl. This illustration likely comes from a comprehensive work documenting Swedish birds.
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Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)
Wihelm Wright, ~ 1828
