Smew x Hooded Merganser

captive Smew x Hooded Merganser hybrid, Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 15th October 2011 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo ID: 0499)

Although this hybrid has been recorded in a wild situation I'm not sure if it has definitely occurred as a result of a pairing between two wild birds.  Such a hybrid is feasible as either species may occur as a vagrants within the other species' normal range.  Both parent species are attractive and so popular with collectors, so hybrids originating in captivity occur more frequently.

The owner of the collection where these birds were photographed confirmed that they were acquired from another collection, hence their appearance despite no Smew having been present.  Two similar birds were present initially, subseqently reducing to one - I am not 100% sure if both birds appear in the photos below.

Initially both birds had grey flanks with virtually no hint of orange.  Over a number of year the flanks of the remaining bird became increasingly orange.

 captive Smew x Hooded Merganser hybrid, Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 11th April 2009 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo ID: 0488)

 captive Smew x Hooded Merganser hybrid, Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 26th April 2009 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo ID: 0489)

captive Smew x Hooded Merganser hybrid, Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 13th February 2010 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo ID: 0490)

 captive Smew x Hooded Merganser hybrid, Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 4th December 2010 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0491-0495)

captive Smew x Hooded Merganser hybrid, Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 12th February 2011 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo ID: 0496)

 captive Smew x Hooded Merganser hybrid, Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 15th October 2011 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0497-0498)

captive Smew x Hooded Merganser hybrid, Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 1st  December 2012 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo ID: 0500)

captive Smew x Hooded Merganser hybrid, Blakeney Collection (Norfolk, UK), 19th January 2013 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0501-0502)

Smew Mergellus albellus
Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus