Goosander on the Kamogawa river

　In January, the Kamogawa River is teeming with ducks. The most remarkable of these is the Goosander.
　These ducks are slimmer than common ducks such as mallards and teal, making them look one size bigger.
　The Goosander is called kawaaisa ‘川秋沙’ in Japanese and uses the autumn kanji ‘秋’. It flies to the Kamogawa River between October and November and returns north in early spring, although some individuals may remain until June.
　In the past, they were found mainly in large rivers, particularly those with strong currents, and were so few in number that they were included on Kyoto Prefecture’s list of near-threatened species. But in recent years, they have become a winter feature of the Kamogawa River.
　The male has a bright green-black head and the female a brownish head, and the contrast between white and black is very striking in flight. Although it is a non-game bird, it is sometimes mistaken for a mallard and shot because of its colouring.
　Because fish is its staple food and it is at the top of the aquatic food chain, it is sensitive to pesticides and toxic metals and is sometimes used as an indicator of environmental health. We hope they will continue to come every year.