Hello and welcome. This. The Science of Birds podcast is a lighthearted exploration of bird biology for lifelong learners.

This is episode 105.

It's all about a small group of birds called Murganzers.

These are diving ducks known for their skill at catching fish.

They have long, slender bills with serrated edges, earning them the nickname, sawbills.

When I think about Murganzers, the first thing that flashes in my mind, besides that thin, serrated beak, is the image of a common Morganser flying swiftly along the course of a

small river, flying low just above the water, like it's on a very important mission and it ain't got

time to waste. The common Morganser is large for a duck, and the male in breeding plumage

is pretty unmistakable.

He's got a white body with black accents, and his head is a dark, glossy green.

Maybe you're familiar with these birds, too.

Maybe you're already a big fan.

Or maybe you didn't even know they existed until just now.

Either way, our goal today is to learn a lot more about common Morgansers and their close relatives. There are five species that we call Morgansers. And there's another

species in this group that's called the Smew. That's S-M-E-W. The S-M-E-W is sort of an honorary Morganser. The six species we're looking at

today are divided among three genera. We'll talk a little more about that later. Of all the ducks in

the world, Morgansers are among the species that depend the most on fish. So, not surprisingly, they're

excellent divers and swimmers. There's this video, this meme, of what I think is a juvenile

common Murganser. I've seen it pop up on YouTube and Instagram and whatnot. In the video,

this person is holding the young bird in one hand.

They gently set it down on the bank of a river.

As soon as it realizes that it's free,

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