Smew
Smew
Mergellus albellus
At a Glance
A small merganser of northern Europe and Asia. A few turn up during migration and winter in the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Very rare elsewhere in Alaska. There are scattered records of birds wintering along the Pacific Coast south to California, and in the northeast; some of these may have been escapes from captivity.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Diving Ducks, Duck-like Birds
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Coasts and Shorelines, Lakes, Ponds, and Rivers, Tundra and Boreal Habitats
Region
Alaska and The North, Southwest
Behavior
Direct Flight, Rapid Wingbeats, Swimming
Range & Identification
Description
14-16" (35.5-40.5 cm). Male is mostly white, with black pattern on face, crest, wings. Compare to Long-tailed Duck. Female has two-toned head, bright red-brown with white lower face and throat. Shorter bill than other mergansers.
Size
About the size of a Crow, About the size of a Mallard or Herring Gull
Color
Black, Brown, Gray, Red, White
Wing Shape
Pointed
Tail Shape
Rounded, Short, Square-tipped, Wedge-shaped
Songs and Calls
Generally silent.
Call Pattern
Flat, Simple
Call Type
Rattle
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