Scaly-sided merganser

Description:

A breeding pair of the fish eating sea duck that is native to East Asia, breeding in the north and wintering in the south. The adult male has a black head and neck, white breast and underparts, and blackish mantle and wings, except for the white innerwings. The scaling is also black, while the tail is medium grey. The female has a buffish head and otherwise replaces the male's black with grey color.

Habitat:

Spotted at Woodland Park Zoo.

Notes:

This species is considered endangered by the IUCN. Its numbers declined in the 1960s and 1970s due to loss of primary forests in its limited range, particularly along the major rivers in Russia. Current threats include illegal hunting, entanglement in (ghost) fishing nets and river pollution, as well as ongoing destruction of forest.