Smew

Mergellus albellus

Photo by JJM
Photo taken: Hogganfield Loch, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.

Identification

The male is white with a black mask and a black back, the female is grey with a reddish-brown head and white cheek. In flight, it shows black and white wings.

Distribution

Rare or scarce breeder in northern Sweden, northern and eastern Finland and in very small numbers in northern Norway. More numerous breeder across northern Russia from the southern Kola Peninsula east to the Pacific coast of Asia. There are isolated outposts in southern Finland and Belarus and occasionally breeds south of main range as far as the Volga and Danube Rivers, has bred or attempted to breed in Denmark, Estonia and the Czech Republic.

Very patchy winter range from southern England and northern France east to the southern Baltic and south to the northern Mediterranean and the Black and Caspian Seas. In Asia small numbers occur south to Iraq, Iran and northern India and in the east regular in southern China and Japan.

Vagrants recorded in Iceland and the Faroes and south to Spain, on various Mediterranean islands including Malta, North Africa, Jordan and Burma. In North America regular but rare on the Aleutians but a vagrant elsewhere south to California.

Taxonomy

It is the only member of the genus Mergellus (Selby, 1840).

Habitat

Breeds beside lakes, pools and rivers in forest areas and in winter on larger freshwaters, including reservoirs and gravel-pits, estuaries and sometimes on sheltered seas.

Behaviour

The Smew breeds in May and lays 6-9 cream eggs. It nests in tree holes, such as old woodpecker nests.

External Links

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