Smew
Mergellus albellus
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Mergellus albellus
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Mass
~610 g
Habitat
Wetlands and marshes
Diet
Fish and aquatic animals
How to recognize it
Smew looks neat and brisk, especially the male, whose black-and-white pattern reads like a bold cutout on the water. The whole impression is of a compact duck with a clean, almost graphic look.
Most of the time it stays quiet, but in courtship the male gives low, rasping sounds with a rough, hiccup-like ending. It dives well, keeps its tail dipped in the water, and can lift off after only a very short run.
It breeds on small freshwater lakes, ponds, and slow rivers in northern forest country, usually where trees stand close to the shore. Its food is mostly aquatic invertebrates, with some fish, and in winter it shifts south to sheltered coasts, lagoons, and larger unfrozen waters.
Quick Facts
Smew looks neat and brisk, especially the male, whose black-and-white pattern reads like a bold cutout on the water. The whole impression is of a compact duck with a clean, almost graphic look.
Most of the time it stays quiet, but in courtship the male gives low, rasping sounds with a rough, hiccup-like ending. It dives well, keeps its tail dipped in the water, and can lift off after only a very short run.
It breeds on small freshwater lakes, ponds, and slow rivers in northern forest country, usually where trees stand close to the shore. Its food is mostly aquatic invertebrates, with some fish, and in winter it shifts south to sheltered coasts, lagoons, and larger unfrozen waters.
How to recognize it
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Mergellus albellus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Smew Encyclopedia article