Smew (male) - Mergellus albellus

The Smew - Mergellus albellus - is a small diving duck with a smaller and more pointed bill than usual for a duck which helps as they eat mainly insects, insect larva and fish. They breed across northern Europe laying their eggs in holes high up in tree trunks which they line with down and soft feathers, some, however, visit the UK from Holland and Denmark over the winter months to escape the very cold weather. As you can see, the males are white with black markings, the females and immature males are mainly grey with chestnut foreheads and crowns. Seen at Martin Mere Wetland Center, Burscough, Lancashire.

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