Common Merganser Ducks, Green River, Colorado

I spotted this Merganser couple in the shadows of Lodore Canyon in Dinosaur National Monument.  We were rafting down the Green River on a multiday trip.

Mergansers are fairly common ducks, slightly larger than mallards.  The male has a gleaming white body, a dark green head and a dark back.  The female is gray-bodied and has a ruffled cinnamon-colored head.  Mergansers mostly dine on fish and nest in hollowed out tree.

I like these photos because while they were taken in shadow, the water reflects the colors of the opposite side of the canyon which is being bathed in morning light.  As with so many opportunities in life, it's about being in the right place at the right time.

If you're interested in seeing what a North American Merganser couple looks like in full light, the photo above provides some details of different birds on the same river.