Smew
Mergellus albellus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAnseriformes (Waterfowl)
- FamilyAnatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)
- GenusMergellus
- SpeciesMergellus albellus (Smew)
About the Smew
The smew (Mergellus albellus) is a species of duck and is the only living member of the genus Mergellus. The genus is closely related to Mergus and is sometimes included in it; genetic studies have shown that it is the sister taxon to Mergus and Lophodytes. The smew has hybridised with the common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula).
The smew was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Mergus albellus. Linnaeus based his account on the description published in 1757 by another Swedish naturalist, Fredrik Hasselqvist, who collected one in Smyrna (now İzmir) in Turkey. Linnaeus specified the type locality as Europe but this was restricted to the Mediterranean near İzmir in Turkey on the basis of Hasselqvist's travels. The smew is now the only living species placed in the genus Mergellus that was introduced in 1840 by the English naturalist Prideaux Selby. The species is monotypic, with no subspecies recognised.
The genus name Mergellus is a diminutive of Mergus, a Latin word related to mergo, to dive or submerge, used by Pliny for an unspecified diving bird. The specific... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Smew in Wadden Sea National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Wadden Sea National Park
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Greylag Goose
Anser anser
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadorna
Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsis
Gadwall
Mareca strepera
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligula
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelope
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeata
Common Eider
Somateria mollissima
Common Teal
Anas crecca
Egyptian Goose
Alopochen aegyptiaca
Mute Swan
Cygnus olor
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biebrza National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 2 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 3 | Białowieża National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 4 | Hortobágy National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 5 | Kiskunság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 6 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 7 | Vatnajokull National Park | 🇮🇸 Iceland | |
| 8 | Tatra National Park | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | |
| 9 | Nikko National Park | 🇯🇵 Japan | |
| 10 | Fertő-Hanság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Smew in Wadden Sea National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Smew sighting in Wadden Sea National Park, based on 533 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Smew in Wadden Sea National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Smew in Wadden Sea National Park in our monthly data.