Nest Building for Scaly-sided Merganser

In March, WWF supported OPF and Songjianghe Forestry Bureau for 15 artificial nest boxes installation to help the scaly-sided merganser’s (Mergus squamatus) breeding population recovery in Changbai Mountain.

The scaly-sided mergansers nesting in the holes of tall trees. Their habitats are lack of natural tree holes for nesting. Based on the scaly-sided merganser conservation practice, the artificial nest building is an effective method for the bird population recovery, as the nest boxes provide the necessary nesting facility for the birds. According to the survey, there are stable breeding populations of the scaly-sided merganser in the Songjianghe River and Manjiang River Basins with potential suitable trees for nesting.

For the next step, WWF will work closely with its government partners in Jilin Province for the actions plans draft and execution for scaly-sided merganser conservation aiming to recover the breeding population of the bird from 200 pairs to 400 ones in the next 10 years. In addition, WWF and its partners will carry out regular monitoring and patrol work, together with the necessary management and technical training.