Smew
Mergellus albellus
LCLeast Concern
- Family
- Ducks, Swans, and Geese (Anatidae)
- Order
- Anseriformes
Overview
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).
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Northern Eurasia; winters to North Africa, India, and eastern China.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Countries
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Armenia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- China
- Croatia
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Egypt
- Estonia
- Finland
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- India
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Kosovo
- Kyrgyzstan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Myanmar
- Netherlands
- North Korea
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Pakistan
- Poland
- Romania
- Russia
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- Uzbekistan
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Smew
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
