Common Merganser Survives Being Hit By A Car

The following story was shared with us by the Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation in Alberta, Canada.

This male common merganser was admitted to the Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation on January 28, 2020, weighing 1.08 kilograms (about 2.4 pounds). The young male looked to have been hit by a car, as he was found stunned on the side of a busy road.

Upon examination, he was in severe respiratory distress and had swelling to his eyes, along with blood coming from the mouth and nares. His body condition was thin, and his feces were abnormal in color and odor. Fluids, pain medication, and supplemental oxygen were administered to stabilize the bird. Antibiotics were started to help combat the trauma to his respiratory system.

Once stable, the bird was placed in a pool to help determine his level of waterproofing. A fecal test was performed, and the bird was found to have a heavy infestation of parasites, which he was quickly treated for.

Fortunately, the bird’s waterproofing was excellent. Unfortunately, the bird was not stable enough to be housed on water full time and did not have an interest in eating.

To help encourage self-feeding, the rehabilitation team offered whole, defrosted fish of varying types, as well as live fish, but the bird was too weak to take an interest. The young merganser was housed in a net bottom pen to ensure his feathers were kept free of soiling, and foot protectors and a keel cushion were placed to help reduce the likelihood of pressure sores developing. He was tube-fed EmerAid IC Piscivore three to four times a day to help put on weight, and gradually he was able to spend more and more time in the pool. By day three, he was able to be housed on water 24 hours a day.

After a few days of regaining his strength, he took an interest in whole foods and began eating on his own. After three weeks of treatment, he was able to hunt live fish in his pool, and his presenting conditions had healed. He was released back to a large body of water far from any busy roads at a healthy weight of 1.23 kilograms (about 2.7 pounds).