The Scaly-sided Merganser is included in the Red Data Books of IUCN (endangered), Russia (category 3 – rare), China and South Korea. The Changbai Mountains in China side are among the few important and main Scaly-sided Merganser breeding areas and possible important stop over site of migratory Scaly-sided Mergansers from Russia. The current status of this species in the Changbai Mountains is not clear. Habitat degrading possibly is the main threat to breeding population in this area.

This project includes survey for breeding pairs in springtime and following survey for broods in the same area. This will provide the numbers of breeding pairs per river basins (breeding density), brood density and relative productivity (brood # vs. pair #). Both breeding pair density and brood density are the main parameters for comparison between sites/areas within recent breeding area of Scaly-sided Merganser or among years. Additionally the sex-age structure will be received for isolated breeding population of Changbai Mountains. Search for nests is needed to prove status of pairs counted in spring. In case of lack of natural cavities will be reported I’ll plan development of artificial nest program in the area. Autumn congregations will be monitored in order to understand if there are molting sites, important brood-rearing sites, or stop-over sites.