Ornith. Obs. or ? dial. Forms: 7 burgander, brigander, 7–8 birgander, 8 bergender, 6– bargander, bergander. [Of uncertain derivation: perh. f. ME. berȝ shelter, burrow (see BERRY sb.2; and cf. bergh, berghman, berman, barman) + GANDER: cf. the synonyms burrow-duck, Da. grav-gaas. The word has however a curious resemblance to the North Fris. name barg-aand (Borkum), Du. berg-eend, G. bergente ‘mountain-duck,’ the analysis of which is of course altogether different.] An old name (apparently still lingering on the Northumbrian coast) of the Sheldrake, Tadorna vulpanser (Leach), a bird related to the duck and goose, which inhabits the seashore and breeds in rabbit-holes or burrows, whence also called by some authors burrow-duck.
1544. Turner, Avium Hist., 23. Nostrates [i.e., Northumbrians] hodie bergandrum nominant (margin, A bergander).
1570. Levins, Manip., 79. Bargander, vulpancer.
1572. Bossewell, Armorie, III. 20. The Bergander is a byrde of the kinde of Geese, somewhat longer, and bigger then a Ducke.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 281. Of the Geese kind are the Birganders named Chelanopeces.
1611. Cotgr., Cravant, the small Goose, or Goose-like fowle, tearmed, a Brigander.
a. 1682. Sir T. Browne, Wks. (Bohn), III. 509. Burganders … common in Norfolk, as abounding in vast and capacious warrens.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Bergander, a name by which some have called the shell-drake or burrough-duck.
1783. Ainsworth, Lat. Dict. (Morell), I. Bergender (fowl), Vulpanser. Ibid., A birgander (bird), Vulpanser.
1879. Johns, Brit. Birds, 608. Bargander, the Sheldrake.
