Smew

The Smew is distributed across the taiga belt of Northern Europe and Asia. It breeds in freshwater lakes, ponds, oxbow lakes, and slow-flowing rivers with clear water and forested shores. For nesting, it uses tree cavities, particularly abandoned woodpecker holes.

The male in breeding plumage is predominantly white with a black back and contrasting black markings on the head, neck, and wings. The female is more modestly colored, with a reddish-brown crown and nape, white cheeks and throat, an ash-grey back, and a pale belly. Juvenile birds resemble females but show less distinct boundaries between color zones and duller tones.

In Ukraine, it is a migratory and wintering species. During spring and autumn migrations, it occurs throughout the country. At the same time, in winter it is regularly observed along the Black Sea coast, on major rivers such as the Dnipro, Danube, and Siverskyi Donets, and on other large water bodies with open water.

It feeds mainly on animal matter. The diet consists primarily of aquatic invertebrates — insects and their larvae, crustaceans, and mollusks. It also consumes amphibians and a small amount of plant material.