goosander

[ goo-san-der ]

/ guˈsæn dər /

a common merganser, Mergus merganser, of Eurasia and North America.

any merganser.

Origin of goosander

1615–25; alteration of gossander; perhaps blend of goose and obsolete bergander shelduck (< ?)

Smew, smū, n. a bird of the family Anatid, in the same genus as the goosander and mergansers.

Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) |Various
The Goosander, in our islands, is as yet only known to breed in a few localities in the Highlands.

British Sea Birds |Charles Dixon
The females and young birds of the Goosander and Merganser are popularly called Dun-divers.

British Birds in their Haunts |Rev. C. A. Johns
In its habits and in the haunts it frequents, the Goosander very closely resembles its smaller ally.

British Sea Birds |Charles Dixon

The habits of the Goosander and Merganser are so much alike that further detail is unnecessary.

British Birds in their Haunts |Rev. C. A. Johns

goosander

/ (ɡuːˈsændə) /

a common merganser (a duck), Mergus merganser, of Europe and North America, having a dark head and white body in the male

C17: probably from goose 1 + Old Norse önd (genitive andar) duck