Wildlifeof Thailand
Scaly-sided Merganser
Anatidae
Photo: (c) Lawrence Hylton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 (May be cropped or resized)
Mergus squamatus
Basic stats
Diet
Fish and aquatic invertebrates
Habitat
Forested rivers; lakes and estuaries in winter
Range
Russian Far East and north-eastern China; winters in East Asia
Size
52–62cm
The scaly-sided merganser has long dark-edged white flank feathers that create its distinctive scaled pattern. Males have a glossy green head and females a rufous head with a shaggy crest. It breeds along clear forested rivers in the Russian Far East and north-eastern China, nesting in tree cavities, then winters farther south on rivers, lakes and estuaries while diving for fish (Wikipedia, general species account). It is Nationally Endangered (Thailand Red Data 2025).
Quick answers
- What does the Scaly-sided Merganser eat?
- Fish and aquatic invertebrates
- What habitat does the Scaly-sided Merganser live in?
- Forested rivers; lakes and estuaries in winter
- Where is the Scaly-sided Merganser found?
- Russian Far East and north-eastern China; winters in East Asia
- How big is the Scaly-sided Merganser?
- 52–62cm