#Mergellus

[herpsandbirds]

Smew (Mergellus albellus), male, family Anatidae, order Anseriformes, Oslo, Norway

photograph by AbdulGafur Leskovica

[wildtokyo-jp]

The first in the field this year, albeit belatedly, were the smews, Mergellus albellus, on a half-frozen pond.

遅ればせながら今年のフィールド初めは、半分以上凍りついた池に浮かぶミコアイサ。

Nagano Pref. 長野県 2025-01-16

[birdblues]

Smew

[markscherz]

I saw a smew for the first time ever a couple days ago and I still have not gotten over it. What a bird!

Smew

[maureen2musings]

Smew

c.ravn.c.photography

[kavohh707]

When you see smews you can hardly believe that they are related as male and female look so completely different.

[proton-wobbler]

Smew (Mergellus albellus)

"cute little duck which I don't think is very well known. male has beautiful black and white colouring" "males' plumage looks like perfectly alligned tiles which is very neat"

"The term smew has been used since the 17th century and is of uncertain origin. It is believed to be related to the Dutch smient ("wigeon") and the German Schmeiente or Schmünte, "wild duck." It is probably derived from smee, a dialectal term for a wild duck."

Smew are the only member of their genus. Theyre are a few debates on whether theyre closer related to Merganser or Goldeneye, but the current consensus leans towards goldeneye, as they are able to hybridize with them.

Smew are diving ducks and catch fish with their serrated bills. They prefer slow-moving rivers and fish-laden lakes, and nest in trees around such areas. Smew are cavity nesters, and will often use an old woodpecker nest as their own. This means the ducklings have to jump out of the trees after hatching- which is fine, its exactly what theyre built to do! Its just fun to think of ducklings in trees, is all.

Sources:

Image Source: eBird (Andrew Engilis)

[stuffidentifier]

Mergellus albellus (bird)

Ferdinand von Wright (Finnish, 1822–1906), "Smews"

[orca-in-disguise]

Critter fact #178:

The Smew (Mergellus albellus) has been known to hybridize with goldeneyes

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

[sathya-kalburgi]

Smew (Mergellus albellus)

📷@ maryimackins

[herpsandbirds]

Smew (Mergellus albellus), male, family Anatidae, order Anseriformes, Mooka-Igashira Park, Moka, Tochigi, Japan

photographs by anonymous photographer on eBird 

[wildtokyo-jp]

A male smew, Mergellus albellus, and stained glass of waves.

ミコアイサと、波のステンドグラス

Nagano Pref. 長野県 2023-12-28

[flagellant]

Oh shit ornithology nerdery time. Might I include a collection of hummingbirds found in northern South America?

The Ecuadorian Hillstar (Oreotrochilus chimborazo)

The Rainbow-Bearded Thornbill (Chalcostigma herrani)

The Frilled Coquette (Lophornis magnificus)

The Tufted Coquette (Lophornis ornatus)

And the Marvelous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis)!

EDIT:

I forgot to add one of my personal favorite birds. It isn't a hummingbird so you'll have to forgive me.

BEHOLD:

THE SMEW

(Mergellus albellus)

lahore pigeons are some of the most visually appealing birds out there. like in terms of visual design. very minimalist, good contrast.

[monosyllabicvocabulary]

smew

(noun, zoology) Mergellus albellus, a small migratory duck of northern Eurasia. The males are showy, white with a crest and black markings; the females have an ordinary merganser look.

Etymology: unknown. I thought it might be imitative but I looked their calls up on xeno-canto.org and actually they croak like frogs

[huariqueje]

Nuns, Smews   -  Lidwien Chorus

Dutch, b. 1951 -

Lithograph,   44 x 32 cm