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Smew

Mergellus albellus

Least Concern

Wingspan

37.5 cm

Weight

658.75 g

Family

Anatidae

Order

Anseriformes

About

A small merganser (~660 g) in family Anatidae, males predominantly white with fine black markings and a small crest. Breeds in boreal forests of northern Eurasia near rivers and lakes, nesting in tree holes; winters on freshwater and coastal waters in central and western Europe. Feeds on small fish and aquatic invertebrates. Least Concern.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Wingspan	37.5 cm	14.8 in
Weight	658.75 g	23.24 oz

Identification

Plumage

Male is largely white with black eye patch, black lines on back, and fine black lines on flanks creating a cracked-ice pattern. Female has chestnut-red head, white cheeks, and grey body.

Habitat & Range

🏖️ Coastal 🌲 Forest 🌾 Grassland 🌿 Wetland

Geographic Range

Breeds in boreal forests of northern Europe and Siberia. Winters on large lakes and coasts from western Europe east to Japan and China.

Diet & Feeding

Dives for small fish, aquatic insects, and crustaceans in freshwater and coastal habitats. Uses serrated bill to grip slippery prey.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: CV. Incubation: 26-28 days. Fledging: 70 days.

Clutch Size

5-11

Sound

Song

Male gives a soft, crow-like krr note; female produces a grating, rasping call. Both sexes are relatively quiet; the male's harsh, crow-like call is surprisingly low for such a small elegant duck.

Taxonomy

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Order	Anseriformes (Waterfowl)
Family	Anatidae (Ducks, Geese & Swans)
Genus	Mergellus
Species	Mergellus albellus

Distribution

Smew has been recorded in 5 countries.

{# Distribution Map — simplified SVG world map with highlighted countries. Expects `country_codes` variable: list of ISO alpha-2 codes (e.g. ["US", "CA", "MX"]). Uses Alpine.js to toggle classes on country paths. #}

Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇹🇼 Taiwan

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Smew eat?

Dives for small fish, aquatic insects, and crustaceans in freshwater and coastal habitats. Uses serrated bill to grip slippery prey.

Where does the Smew live?

Breeds in boreal forests of northern Europe and Siberia. Winters on large lakes and coasts from western Europe east to Japan and China.

Is the Smew endangered?

The Smew has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the Smew nest?

Nest type: CV. Incubation: 26-28 days. Fledging: 70 days.

What does the Smew sound like?

Male gives a soft, crow-like krr note; female produces a grating, rasping call. Both sexes are relatively quiet; the male's harsh, crow-like call is surprisingly low for such a small elegant duck.

How big is the Smew?

The Smew has a wingspan of 37.5 cm, weight of 658.75 g.

What order and family does the Smew belong to?

The Smew (Mergellus albellus) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.