The Goosander is distributed across the temperate and sub-arctic zones of the northern hemisphere.
It tends to breed further north and migrate southwards in the winter but some populations,
such as the British one, are largely sedentary.



The female, seenon photo above, has a greyish body and a reddish brown head
and upper neck with a white chin.
Note the sharp border between the brown upper neck and the white lower neck
which distinguishes the female Goosander from the female Red-breasted Merganser.
Following the breeding season the male Goosander
moults and looks very similar to the female during this process.



The male is mainly white and this can have a pinkish tinge in winter and early spring.
Its head looks black at a distance but is in fact a dark glossy green and it has a mane-like crest.
The bill is long, narrow and red with a black strip along the top.
It is also serrated to grip slippery fish and this gives rise to the designation of "sawbill".






Laksanden holder til i elver og store innlandssjøer, der det er mye trær, som den har sitt rede i under hekkesesongen. Om vinteren kan den danne store flokker, og da ofte ved eller nær kystområder.
Men også i fjærfellingstiden kan hannene danne store flokker, slik som på bildet ovenfor,
i Tanamunningen i Finnmark, der det kan være opp til 25.000 laksender samlet samtidig.

They tend to be found in the upper reaches of rivers and on large inland lakes
with plenty of trees in which to nest during the breeding season
but congregate in flocks during the winter and these can be at or near the coast.
However, when moulding in summer, the male can be found in great flocks,
as in the picture above, from the mouth of the River Tana in Finnmark, Northern Norway,
where as many as 25.000 can be seen at that time.

© Arthur Grosset
Rather hungry fellow, this one....



It feeds primarily on fish obtained by diving from the surface using its legs for propulsion.
It normally returns to the surface to eat its prey clasping the fish round the middle
using its serrated bill then gradually moves the fish so that it can swallow it head first.


Picture of the week, March 27th, 2008. Photo taken near our home, Ulefoss, Norway

All photos above: © www.vulkaner.no