Re: Common Merganser chicks:

The common merganser is not listed as a breeding bird in the old atlas, but 
according the BNA Birds of North America, there are records of its having 
bred in Virginia (Jopson, H. G. M. 1956. Breeding of the American Merganser 
in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Auk 73: 285) and casually as far south 
as Chihuahua in Mexicco (Brown, B. T. 1990. Nesting Common Mergansers in 
Chihuahua, Mexico. Southwest. Nat. 35: 88-89.) In general, its says the 
following concerning the historical range:

"Formerly bred farther south in Pennsylvania and Minnesota, and within the 
last 50 yr in Virginia (Jopson 1956, Kiff 1989); loss of breeding 
populations in se. U.S. attributed to habitat loss and human encroachment 
(Palmer 1976). No longer breeds in s. Minnesota where found in early 1900s 
(Zicus and Hennes 1988). Winter distribution altered by creation of new, 
suitable wintering sites through reservoir development (which concentrates 
birds on these new lakes; Bellrose 1980) and warm effluent from generating 
stations on the Great Lakes (Speirs 1985). Formerly recorded in winter south 
to the Central Volcanic belt of central Mexico (Howell and Webb 1995).)

Still, its a remarkable find and a great photograph.

Sephen Hult

Edgewater MD

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gerald & Laura Tarbell" <>
To: <>
Sent: Sunday, April 06, 2008 5:06 PM
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Common Merganser chicks in Montgomery


> Dave and all,
>    Are you saying that you've seen Common Merg with young this far south
> before? Your picture sent me scrambling for the Atlas and Common Merg 
> isn't
> even listed as a breeding bird for Maryland and/or D.C.
>    I then pulled up my trusty Thayer program and looked at their map. I
> know I have seen Mergs along the Clarion River in Pa during the summer, 
> but
> assumed that was probably the southern end of their breeding range. The 
> map
> shows them along the Susquehanna all summer, so I assume they breed there.
>    The early date is of course shocking, but the fact that you saw them on
> the Potomac is even more of a surprise. Were they confirmed for the new
> Atlas under construction now?
>
>    Jerry Tarbell
>    Carroll County
>
>