LC
Goosander Mergus merganser



Taxonomy

Taxonomic source(s)
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of_the_WP15.xls.
Cramp, S. and Simmons, K.E.L. (eds). 1977-1994. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2018 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
2012 Least Concern
2009 Least Concern
2008 Least Concern
2004 Least Concern
2000 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988 Lower Risk/Least Concern
Species attributes

Migratory status full migrant Forest dependency medium
Land-mass type Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 82,100,000 km2 medium
Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) 100,000,000 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size unknown poor estimated 2012
Population trend unknown - - -
Generation length 7.3 years - - -

Population justification: The global population is estimated to number c.1,700,000-2,400,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2015). The European population is estimated at 66,800-103,000 pairs, which equates to 134,000-206,000 mature individuals (BirdLife International 2015).

Trend justification: The overall population trend is not known, although some populations are increasing, some decreasing, some stable and others have unknown trends (Wetlands International 2015). In Europe the population size is estimated to be stable (BirdLife International 2015). This species has undergone a small or statistically insignificant increase over the last 40 years in North America (data from Breeding Bird Survey and/or Christmas Bird Count: Butcher and Niven 2007).


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Afghanistan extant native yes
Albania extant native yes
Algeria extant vagrant
Austria extant native yes
Azerbaijan extant native yes
Bangladesh extant native
Belarus extant native yes yes
Belgium extant native yes
Bermuda (to UK) extant native
Bhutan extant native
Bosnia and Herzegovina extinct native yes
Bulgaria extant native yes
Canada extant native yes yes
China (mainland) extant native
Croatia extant native yes
Cyprus extant vagrant
Czechia extant native yes
Denmark extant native yes
Estonia extant native yes yes
Finland extant native yes yes
France extant native yes yes
Germany extant native yes yes
Greece extant native yes
Greenland (to Denmark) extant vagrant
Hungary extant native yes
Iceland extant native yes
India extant native
Iran, Islamic Republic of extant native yes
Iraq extant native yes
Ireland extant native yes
Israel extant vagrant
Italy extant native yes
Japan extant native
Kazakhstan extant native yes
Kyrgyzstan extant native yes
Latvia extant native yes yes
Lebanon extant native
Liechtenstein extant native yes
Lithuania extant native yes yes
Luxembourg extant native yes
Malta extant vagrant
Mexico extant native
Moldova extant native
Mongolia extant native yes
Montenegro extant native yes
Morocco extant vagrant
Myanmar extant native
Nepal extant native
Netherlands extant native yes
North Korea extant native
North Macedonia extant native yes
Norway extant native yes yes
Pakistan extant native
Poland extant native yes yes
Portugal extant vagrant
Romania extant native yes yes
Russia extant native yes yes yes
Russia (Asian) extant native yes
Russia (Central Asian) extant native yes
Russia (European) extant native yes yes
Serbia extant native yes
Slovakia extant native yes
Slovenia extant native yes
South Korea extant native
Spain extant native yes
St Pierre and Miquelon (to France) extant native yes yes
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) extant vagrant
Sweden extant native yes yes
Switzerland extant native yes
Taiwan, China extant native
Tajikistan extant native yes
Tunisia extant vagrant
Türkiye extant native yes
Turkmenistan extant native
Ukraine extant native yes yes
United Kingdom extant native yes
USA extant native yes
Uzbekistan extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Azerbaijan Gizilagach
Bosnia and Herzegovina Livno karst field and Busko lake
China (mainland) Burqin River and Kanas Lake
China (mainland) Heyang Huang He Wetlands Nature Reserve
China (mainland) Hongjian Nur
China (mainland) Sayram Nur
Croatia Cetina River
Denmark Arresø
Denmark Hovvig
Denmark Lovns Bredning
Denmark Norsminde (Kysing) Fjord
Denmark Roskilde Fjord, Selsø and Kattinge Søerne
Denmark Smålandsfarvandet
Estonia Lahemaa
Estonia Väinameri
Finland Kangasala wetlands
Finland Kokkola and Kälviä archipelago
Finland Köyliönjärvi and Pyhäjärvi lakes
Finland Krunnit archipelago
Finland Laajalahti bay, Vanhankaupunginlahti bay and Viikki
Finland Merenkurkku archipelago
Finland Mietoistenlahti bay
Finland Oulu region wetlands
Finland Paimionlahti bay
Finland Pori archipelago and wetlands
Finland Porvoonjoki Delta
Finland Tornionjoki Delta
Germany Coast and lagoons of Western Pomerania
Germany Greifswalder Bodden
Germany Schlei
Germany Traveförde and Dassower See
Germany Usedom lagoon (Peenestrom, Achterwasser, Kleines Haff with Neuwarper See)
Greece Lake Kastoria
Iceland Laugarvatn - Apavatn - Bruara
Iceland Myvatn - Laxa
Iceland Sogid -Thingvallavatn
India The Chapories of Lohit Reserve
Kazakhstan Chardara Reservoir
Kazakhstan Kapchagay Canyon
Kazakhstan Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve
Kazakhstan Markakol State Nature Reserve
Kazakhstan Tentek River Delta
Kazakhstan Terenkol Lake
Latvia Nida-Perkone
Lithuania Marine waters along the continental part of Lithuania
Lithuania Marine waters along the Curonian Spit
Lithuania Nemunas delta regional Park
Lithuania The northern part of the Curonian Lagoon
Mongolia Khar Lake
Mongolia Khar Us Lake
Mongolia Khovsgol Lake
Mongolia Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake
Netherlands Lake IJsselmeer
Norway Neiden- & Munkefjord
Norway Tanamunningen
Poland Delta of the Swina river
Poland Lower Odra river valley
Poland Puck Bay
Poland Szczecin lagoon
Poland Vistula river mouth
Romania Black Sea
Romania Buhuşu reservoir - Bacău - Tătărăşti
Romania Danube Delta
Romania Olt valley
Russia (Asian) Babushkina and Kekurnyy Gulfs
Russia (Asian) Bolon' lake
Russia (Asian) Karaginskiy Island
Russia (Asian) Kuril'skoye lake
Russia (Central Asian) Basins of the Schuchya and Khadytayakha rivers
Russia (Central Asian) Kondinskiye lakes
Russia (European) Berezoviye islands of Vyborg Bay
Russia (European) Kuloy river
Russia (European) Kurgalski Peninsula
Russia (European) Vaygach island
Slovenia River Drava
Slovenia Srednja Sava
South Korea Han-gang river
Sweden Archipelago of Stockholm
Sweden Kalmar – Pataholm
Sweden Lake Åsnen
Sweden Lake Skedviken
Sweden Lake Tämnaren
Sweden Lövsta Bight – Björn Archipelago
Sweden River Ume Delta and Plains
Switzerland Lake Geneva: Rolle to Céligny
Switzerland Lake Geneva: Versoix and Hermance to Geneva
Switzerland Lake Neuchâtel: southern shore
Switzerland River Rhone: Geneva to Verbois reservoir
Tajikistan Bulunkul and Yashilkul lakes and mountains
Tajikistan Dashtidjum
Tajikistan Drumkul Lake
Tajikistan Dzhavshangoz
Tajikistan Karakul lake and mountains
Ukraine Burshtyns'ke reservoir
Ukraine Kanivs'kyi Nature Reserve

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Forest Boreal suitable breeding
Forest Temperate suitable breeding
Marine Neritic Estuaries suitable non-breeding
Marine Neritic Macroalgal/Kelp suitable non-breeding
Marine Neritic Seagrass (Submerged) suitable non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel suitable non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs suitable non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy suitable non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy-Mud suitable non-breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) major non-breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) major breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) major breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes suitable non-breeding
Altitude 1900 - 1900 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Biological resource use Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Persecution/control Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Species disturbance, Species mortality

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Food - human subsistence, national
Pets/display animals, horticulture international
Sport hunting/specimen collecting subsistence, national

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Goosander Mergus merganser. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/goosander-mergus-merganser on 04/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 04/12/2024.