Family Ducks, Geese, Swans (Anatidae)
Least Concern
Smew (Mergellus albellus)
Taxonomy
French: Harle piette German: Zwergsäger Spanish: Serreta chica
Taxonomy:
Mergus Albellus
Linnaeus
, 1758,Europe
.Distribution:
Breeds from Scandinavia E in band between about 55° N and Arctic Circle to E Siberia (Kamchatka). Winters in North and Baltic Seas and from C Europe E to Black and Caspian Seas, E China, Korea and Japan.
Descriptive notes
35–44 cm; male 540–935 g, female 510–650 g; wingspan 55–69 cm. Smaller than any species of Mergus. Unmistakable, especially mainly white male... read more
Voice
Vocalizes only infrequently, except during courtship or in alarm; in display, male gives soft but... read more
Habitat
Freshwater lakes, pools, slow-flowing rivers and muskegs in taiga zone during breeding season, with... read more
Food and feeding
Aquatic invertebrates, mainly insects and their larvae, amphibians and some plant material (seeds, leaves and roots); also fishMale eating... read more
Breeding
Starts Apr/May in S of range, or mid May to mid Jun in N. Seasonally monogamous, with pair-bonds forming mainly in late winter (late Dec... read more
Movements
Migratory; winters W & C Europe, E Mediterranean basin, Black Sea, S Russia, Middle East (... read more
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened (Least Concern). However, is considered Vulnerable in European context, where breeding populations are generally small, e.g. just 10–20 pairs in... read more
Often placed in genus Mergus. Phylogenetic analysis, however, found that this species is closer to Bucephala than to Mergus#R. Known to hybridize in the wild with Bucephala clangula#R. Monotypic.