Red-breasted Merganser Splish-Splash!

Splish-splash, Red-beasted Merganser really getting onto the bathing thing at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel, FL.  Before you call it a female, look closely. This juv./1st yr. bird has a wing pattern of a male with white secondaries and coverts with 2 dark dividing bars. Knowing the age and sex of a bird you are looking at can add valuable information and enjoyment to your birding. For compete information on how to know the age and sex of a species see our new field guides, The New Stokes Field Guide to Birds, Eastern Region and The New Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Western Region.

Happy Birding!