Species:

Smew (Mergellus albellus)

Wigeon (Mareca penelope)

Change species:
Main Images:
Next species:
Prev species:
Length (cm):
38-44
45-51
Wingspan (cm):
55-69
75-86
Weight (gram):
500-800
500-1000
Size group:
Crow-size
Crow-size
Main Texts:
Appearance:

A small and compact duck, more resembling a Goldeneye than other sawbils. Small bill and steep forehead. Male almost completely white, with black mask and fine black markings. In flight the dark wings gives it a more black and white appearance. Female or immature may be mistaken for other small ducks, but combination of brown upper head and white lower head is unique among WP-ducks. Body brownish grey. White patch on wing coverts prominent in flight in both sexes. Groups fly in loose lines, not bunches.

Sound:

Mostly quiet except when displaying, and even then difficult to hear. Male: an ascending, froglike, rattling pulse of clicks. Also various grunting sounds. Alarm call a harsh "Kraaa".

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

Recognized in all plumages by its rounded head, steep forehead, short neck and contrasting white belly. Males with brown head and light yellow forehead, pinkish breast and grey body. Adult males with big white patch on forewing. Female mostly brown with bluish bill. Tail rather long and pointed, and wings narrow. Quite pale underwings, but not completely white like American Wigeon.

Sound:

Male: a pleasant high pitched whistle "piiiiuuu", rapidly rising in pitch and then falling. Quite vocal. Female: a harsh "kraaa kraaa kraa" more like female diving-ducks than other dabbling-ducks.

Display-call male:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Sounds:Recorded by Patrick Åberg,http://www.xeno-canto.org ,CC license

Similar species (image):
Similar species (sound):
Silhouette Group:
Duck-like
Silhouette
Duck-like
Silhouette
Several different images of the species
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage
Several different sounds of the species
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file