Data Zone
Taxonomic source(s)
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of_the_WP15.xls.
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of_the_WP15.xls.
Cramp, S. and Perrins, C.M. 1977-1994. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Cramp, S.; Perrins, C. M. 1977-1994. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
del Hoyo, J.; Collar, N. J.; Christie, D. A.; Elliott, A.; Fishpool, L. D. C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International.
| Critically Endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
| Year | Category | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Least Concern | |
| 2012 | Least Concern | |
| 2009 | Least Concern | |
| 2008 | Least Concern | |
| 2004 | Least Concern | |
| 2000 | Lower Risk/Least Concern | |
| 1994 | Lower Risk/Least Concern | |
| 1988 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | medium |
| Land-mass type | Average mass | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) | 17,500,000 km2 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) | 34,900,000 km2 | medium |
| Severely fragmented? | no | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population size | unknown | poor | estimated | 2012 |
| Population trend | decreasing | - | suspected | - |
| Generation length | 5.7 years | - | - | - |
Population justification: The global population is estimated to number > c.130,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2015). The European population is estimated at 9,200-17,600 pairs, which equates to 18,300-35,200 mature individuals (BirdLife International 2015).
Trend justification: The overall population trend is suspected to be decreasing however some populations are increasing or the trend is not known (Wetlands International 2015). The population is suspected to be much affected by availability of nest sites in suitable habitat. Populations are also subject to hunting pressure during migration and have been affected by pollution from oil spills (del Hoyo et al. 1992). In Europe the population size is estimated to be increasing (BirdLife International 2015).
| Country/Territory | Presence | Origin | Resident | Breeding visitor | Non-breeding visitor | Passage migrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | extant | native | yes | |||
| Albania | extant | native | yes | |||
| Algeria | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Austria | extant | native | yes | |||
| Azerbaijan | extant | native | yes | |||
| Belarus | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Belgium | extant | native | yes | |||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | extant | native | ||||
| Bulgaria | extant | native | yes | |||
| Canada | extant | vagrant | ||||
| China (mainland) | extant | native | ||||
| Croatia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Cyprus | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Czechia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Denmark | extant | native | yes | |||
| Egypt | extant | native | ||||
| Estonia | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Finland | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| France | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Germany | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Gibraltar (to UK) | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Greece | extant | native | yes | |||
| Hong Kong (China) | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Hungary | extant | native | yes | |||
| Iceland | extant | vagrant | ||||
| India | extant | native | ||||
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | extant | native | yes | |||
| Iraq | extant | native | yes | |||
| Ireland | extant | native | yes | |||
| Israel | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Italy | extant | native | yes | |||
| Japan | extant | native | ||||
| Jordan | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Kazakhstan | extant | native | yes | |||
| Kyrgyzstan | extant | native | yes | |||
| Latvia | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Libya | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Liechtenstein | extant | native | ||||
| Lithuania | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Luxembourg | extant | native | yes | |||
| Malta | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Moldova | extant | native | yes | |||
| Mongolia | extant | native | ||||
| Montenegro | extant | native | yes | |||
| Myanmar | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Nepal | extant | native | ||||
| Netherlands | extant | native | yes | |||
| North Korea | extant | native | ||||
| North Macedonia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Norway | extant | native | yes | |||
| Pakistan | extant | native | ||||
| Palestine | extant | vagrant | yes | |||
| Poland | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Portugal | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Romania | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Russia | extant | native | yes | yes | yes | |
| Russia (Asian) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Russia (Central Asian) | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Russia (European) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Saudi Arabia | extant | vagrant | yes | |||
| Serbia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Slovakia | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Slovenia | extant | native | yes | |||
| South Korea | extant | native | ||||
| Spain | extant | native | yes | |||
| Sweden | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Switzerland | extant | native | yes | |||
| Syria | extant | native | yes | |||
| Taiwan, China | extant | native | ||||
| Tajikistan | extant | native | ||||
| Tunisia | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Türkiye | extant | native | yes | |||
| Turkmenistan | extant | native | ||||
| Ukraine | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| United Kingdom | extant | native | yes | |||
| USA | extant | vagrant | yes | |||
| Uzbekistan | extant | native |
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest | Boreal | major | breeding |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Estuaries | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | major | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | major | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha) | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) | suitable | breeding |
| Altitude | Occasional altitudinal limits |
| Threat (level 1) | Threat (level 2) | Impact and Stresses | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Future | Whole (>90%) | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Purpose | Scale |
|---|---|
| Food - human | subsistence, national |
| Pets/display animals, horticulture | international |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Smew Mergellus albellus. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/smew-mergellus-albellus on 23/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/11/2024.