#0649 · 🐦 birds

Smew

🇳🇱 Nonnetje ·Mergellus albellus

LCleast concern 🐦 Birds 📍 in the Netherlands

7 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences

what is it?

The smew ( Mergellus albellus ) is a species of duck, and is the only living member of the genus Mergellus . Mergellus is a diminutive of Mergus and albellus is from Latin albus "white". This genus is closely related to Mergus and is sometimes included in it, though it might be closer to the goldeneyes ( Bucephala ). The smew has hybridized with the common goldeneye ( B. clangula ).

base stats

NL sightings 297iNaturalist, research grade
worldwide 9,129iNaturalist observations
weight 652 gadult, up to
threat LCleast concern

Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).