Rare Smew Bird Sighted in Kaziranga National Park

Rare Smew Bird Sighted in Kaziranga National Park

The recent sighting of the rare Smew (Mergellus albellus) in the Laokhowa landscape of Kaziranga National Park during the 7th Waterbird Census has attracted attention among ornithologists and conservationists. The bird was observed in the wetlands (beels) of Romari and Dondowa, marking the first recorded appearance of this species in the Kaziranga landscape. The Smew is the smallest member of the merganser family of diving ducks and is known for its distinctive sexual dimorphism: males have bright white plumage with a black eye mask, while females possess a chestnut-colored head and grey body.

The species breeds mainly in the taiga forests of northern Eurasia, particularly in Siberia and Scandinavia, and migrates southward during winter. It generally follows the Central Asian Flyway, occasionally reaching wetlands in northern India. Smews prefer clear freshwater lakes, slow-flowing rivers, and fish-rich wetlands where they dive underwater to catch small fish, crustaceans, and aquatic insects.