Skip to content

lhalhukw’ siiye’yu | Flying Friends

Birds in the Hul’q’umi’num' World

  • Home
  • The Exhibit
  • The Story Team
  • The Photographer

xwaaqw’ | merganser

Posted on May 27, 2018 by Michelle Parent

merganser (common) – xwaaqw’
[Mergus merganser Linnaeus] • Many speakers regard this word as the name for both male and female common mergansers. Mergansers are also known as “sawbills” because they have saw-like teeth along the edges of their beaks, which they used to catch fish. The male has white sides and breast, a green head and a red bill. The female is grey with a white throat and long reddish-brown head feathers.


http://birds.hwulmuhwqun.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Gena_merganser_final.wav

xwaaqw’
Merganser

snes tun’a sqw’ulesh ’i’ xwaaqw’
This bird’s name is merganser.

tthu ’i’ ’u tun’a shxaatth’ustun ’i’ niilh yath ’uw’ sht’es tthu xw’aaqw kws ni’s ’u tthu tsuwmun ’u tthu xatsa’, sta’luw’ ’i’ tthu kw’atl’kwa nilh ni’ shni’stuhws tthu me’mun’us ’u tthu hith.
In picture the merganser is on the shore of the lake, river and seashores, where she stays for a long time with the little ones.

nuw’ sxuxits thu slheni’ xwaaxw’ p’uq’ tthu kwuyhwulhnulhs ’i’ kwikwumuls tumlhalus tthu sxuy’usth.
We can tell this is a female because she has a white throat and with reddish-brown head.

’uw’ nuts’iws ’ul’ tthu ni’ sta’lusth sht’es kws hulis thu xwaaqw’.
Mergansers mate for life.

ni’ touhwus ts’uhwle’ ’i’ tus ’upun ’i yusa’lus tthu tth’utth’uxals ni’ lheq’utus, ’i’ ni’ tskw’ush ’i’ kw’ te’tsus ts’uhwle’ tus lhuhwulhshe’ ’i’ kw’ lhq’etsus skweyul ’u kws shts’unetss ’u tthu tth’utth’xals ’i’ ni’ kwan.
They lay 9 to 12 eggs and incubate them for 28 to 35 days.

’uwu niis hith kwus kwan ’i’ ni’ wulh hwu ’uli’i’mush tthu xwuli’xwaaqw’(allh).
Soon after hatching, the young are able to get around on their own.

ni’ tsukwul’etus thu tens tthu munu’lh nem’ hunum’ ’u tthu sheshum’ qa’ nilh shni’s kwus hw’iiw’tsustum’ kws hwkwunlhnenums.
They will follow their mother to the shallow water where they will learn to hunt for food.

nan ’uw’ stuw’et kws nuqums ’u tthu s’ulhtuns.
They are really good at diving for their food.

’uli’uy’mut tthu xwaaqw’ ’i’ ’uy’ama’ yath ’uw’ shashukw’um’ ni’ ’u tthu qa’
They are very beautiful, smart, clean birds always up early bathing in the water.

tthu ni’ shstatul’ste’wut tthu xwaaqw’ ’i’ xe’xe’.
They are known as a sacred bird.

Hul’q’umi’num’ description by Ruby Peter | sti’tum’at and Gena Seward-Wilson | yutustanaat.

Posted in Birds Tagged merganser, xwaaqw’

Post navigation

← tth’iqt | Flicker
tth’uchulu | Kingfisher →

Author: Michelle Parent

Other Hul’q’umi’num’ Language Sites

Designed for people who would like to improve their Hul’q’umi’num’ language skills while learning about the language as it goes along with canoe culture.

Come in and listen to our stories.
Browse through the collection of videos, transcriptions, translations, lessons, and more.

ta’ulthun sqwal | Hul’q’umi’num’ Language Academy

Browse lessons, audio, and other resources for the Hul’q’umi’num’ language. This site is a portal for language fluency programs and class assignments.

Facebook

Browse by Bird

B

  • bald (1)

C

  • Canada goose (1)
  • cormorant (1)

E

  • eagle (1)
  • eagle, bald (0)

F

  • flicker (1)

G

  • great horned owl (1)

H

  • heron (1)
  • hummingbird (1)

K

  • kingfisher (1)

L

  • lhuthnuts (1)
  • loon (1)

M

  • mallard (1)
  • merganser (1)

O

  • osprey (1)
  • owl, great horned (0)

Q

  • qwuni (1)
  • qw’uqw’sutsun’ (1)

R

  • raven (1)
  • robin (1)

S

  • s-hwuw’qun (1)
  • sandhill crane (1)
  • sapsucker (1)
  • seagull (1)
  • skwitth’uts (1)
  • skw’qeqe’ (1)
  • sliim (1)
  • smuqw’a’ (1)
  • snow goose (1)
  • spaal’ (1)
  • Steller's jay (1)
  • swakwun (1)
  • swallow (1)
  • swan (1)
  • sxwut’ts’uli (1)

T

  • tl’ekw’uxun (1)
  • tsiitmuhw (1)
  • ts’utum (1)
  • tth’ihwtth’uhw (1)
  • tth’iqt (1)
  • tth’uchelu (1)
  • tunuqsun (1)
  • t’ut’um’ (1)

W

  • wren (1)

X

  • xwaaqw’ (1)

Y

  • yuxwule’ (1)

’

  • ’exu (1)

A project by the Hul’q’umi’num’ Language & Culture Collective.

Questions or comments? Contact SFU Professor Donna Gerdts at gerdts[at]sfu.ca

Copyright © 2018. Website by Michelle Parent based on the theme “Clean Gallery” by ThemesDNA.com.

Thank you for visiting.

Copyright © 2023 lhalhukw’ siiye’yu | Flying Friends | Design by ThemesDNA.com