Search results
One of the most distinctive duck breeds, thanks to their extended streaming tail feathers, the long-tailed duck is a coastal waterbird that spends winters at sea, foraging for crustaceans in marine waters, after breeding on Arctic tundra landscapes.
14-16" (35.5-40.5 cm). Male is mostly white, with black pattern on face, crest, wings. Compare to Long-tailed Duck. Female has two-toned head, bright red-brown with white lower face and throat. Shorter bill than other mergansers.
The drake smew, with its 'cracked ice' or 'panda' 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.
What Do Smews Look Like? (how to identify them) Smews are distinctive ducks, making them a fascinating subject for observation. Male smews are particularly striking with their bold black-and-white plumage, which has earned them the nickname ‘panda ducks’.
The drake smew, with its 'cracked ice' and 'panda' 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.
The smew (Mergellus albellus) is a captivating species of duck, the sole representative of its genus. The male, with its striking black-and-white plumage, evokes the image of cracked ice or a panda, making it an unmistakable sight.
How to identify. A dainty duck, only a little larger than a teal. Smews spend a lot of time actively feeding, diving energetically beneath the water and remaining submerged for some time. Adult males are unmistakeable, with a striking black and white plumage.
