North Florida in January can be cold, as recent weeks have demonstrated. However, by the standards of latitudes farther north in the United States (and Canada), the month can be considered quite balmy.
As such, those who reside in the seasonally frozen geographic regions are inclined to visit this state when circumstances allow. There are attractions for every taste, and the food and lodging options are plentiful.
When spring arrives the visitors frequently return north, many not wishing to experience the heat and humidity so common to the summer and early autumn. One of panhandle Florida’s temporary avian residents during winter is currently enjoying the many benefits in the area.
The red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator) is a member of the duck family, with only four species in its genus. While less than graceful or nimble on its webbed feet, it is a deft swimmer with its legs towards the back of its broad body.
Currently cruising ponds and lagoons for a meal, red-breasted mergansers will be flying north to their summer home when the weather warms up.
The generic term duck covers many species in the Anatidae family of birds. Geese and swans are also members of this animal family, but not the coots, anhingas (water turkeys or snake birds) or other aquatic fowl commonly seen in the rivers, springs and ponds of north Florida.
The red-breasted merganser favors coastal waters, both salty and brackish. In winter it is also often found occupying larger ponds and lakes in close proximity to the coast. Groups, in single file, are occasionally seen feeding on schools of fish.
The female hooded mergansers have a distinctive crest on their heads. Their bills are slender with serrated edges to help them grip their prey. This trait sometimes has them referred to as sawbills as their scientific species name, serrator, implies.
Mergansers have excellent diving skills and frequently plunge to significant depths in search of food. They are also swift flyers, capable of reaching 100 mph.
Primarily fish eaters, this carnivore will take the opportunity to vary its diet when chance provides an easy prospect. Aquatic insects, reptiles and all stages of amphibians are all on the menu, depending on availability.
These mergansers are equipped to handle a variety of climates and environments, ranging from northern Canada in summer to coastal Gulf of Mexico and southern Atlantic coast in the winter. They are extremely tolerant of salt water and have compact plumage with heavy down suitable for exposure to low temperatures.
Red-breasted mergansers form monogamous pairs for breeding. They remain together until the female has selected a nesting cavity and completed laying her clutch. Afterwards, she is abandoned by the male and must care for the brood alone.
Luckily, the hatchlings leave the nest in about 24 hours. They can swim and dive for food on their own, but they remain with the hen for about two months before flying away.
Clearly the hens deserve a Florida vacation with all the seafood they can eat. In a few weeks, it is back to the chores of family life.
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