SMEW (smyoo)
A
small merganser found in northern Eurasia Common clues: Diving
duck; Merganser; Fish-eating duck; Old World duck; Eurasian
diving duck; White-crested duck Crossword
puzzle frequency:
Once a year Video: Smew
The
Smew (Mergellus albellus) is a small duck, which is somewhat
intermediate between the typical mergansers (Mergus) and the
goldeneyes (Bucephala). It is the only member of the genus
Mergellus; sometimes included in Mergus, this genus is distinct
(though closely related) and might actually be a bit closer to
the goldeneyes. The Smew has interbred with the Common Goldeneye
(B. clangula).
An
unnamed fossil seaduck, known from a humerus found in the Middle
Miocene Sajóvölgyi Formation (Late Badenian, 13–12
million years ago) of Mátraszõlõs, Hungary,
was assigned to Mergus. However, the authors included the Smew
therein, and consequently, the bone is more properly assigned to
Mergellus—especially as it was more similar to a Smew's
than to the Bucephala remains also found at the site. It is
sometimes argued that the Mátraszõlõs fossil
is too old to represent any of the modern seaduck genera, but
apparently these were all well-distinct even back then.
The
drake Smew, with its 'cracked ice' appearance, is unmistakable,
and looks very black-and-white in flight. The females and
immature males are grey birds with chestnut foreheads and crowns,
and can be confused at a distance with the Ruddy Duck; they are
often known as "redhead" Smew. It has oval white
wing-patches in flight. The Smew's bill has a hooked tip and
serrated edges, which help it catch fish when it dives for them.
This
article is licensed under the GNU
Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the Wikipedia
article "Smew".
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