Ever wonder why this place is called Smient? The name is not just a whimsical choice. It connects us to the fascinating world of birds. Specifically, a type of duck known for its distinctive whistling call.
Let’s talk about the Smient. It is also called the Eurasian Wigeon. Some people call it the fluiteend, or flute duck, because of its call. While only a few pairs breed in the Netherlands, hundreds of thousands of Smient ducks overwinter here. They come from Scandinavia and Siberia. This makes the Netherlands particularly important for this species.
Imagine a winter evening. The wind is still. You might hear their charming, whistling calls as they fly overhead. They are headed south or to the grasslands to feed. Male Smient ducks are striking. They have a chestnut-brown head with a creamy yellow stripe on their forehead. Their chest is pinkish. Their flanks are bluish-gray with a white patch on their thighs. The lower belly is white. The feathers under their tail are black. When they fly, you will see large white patches on their wings.
Female Smient ducks have a more subtle beauty. They are reddish-brown or grayish. They have variable, diffuse spots. Their bluish-gray bill and white belly are the most noticeable features. The males make a cheerful “wee-ooh” sound. It carries far, especially on calm evenings.
Smient ducks are medium-sized. They range from 45 to 51 cm in length. Their wingspan is between 75 and 86 cm. These ducks usually breed from May to June. They typically have one clutch of seven to eight eggs. Sometimes, they will have a second clutch if the first is lost. They nest alone or in small groups close together. The young ducks can fly after 40 to 45 days.
Outside of breeding season, Smient ducks prefer watery grasslands. During the day, they usually rest on large lakes. They like clean, fresh water with plenty of vegetation on the banks and in the water. Wetlands surrounded by open vegetation and farmland in arctic and boreal regions are ideal.
Smient ducks are almost entirely vegetarian. They eat leaves, seeds, roots, grass, and algae. During breeding season, female Smient ducks will supplement their diet with mosquitoes to stay healthy.
These ducks are migratory. They are easily affected by cold weather. In late summer, they migrate in large groups from their arctic breeding grounds. They head south and southwest to overwinter in countries along the North Sea and in Western and Southwestern Europe. Most Smient ducks arrive in the Netherlands in October and November. They leave between February and April. They start breeding in May.
The number of Smient ducks wintering in the Netherlands increased significantly between 1967 and 1989. In the 1990s, the numbers stabilized. Since the turn of the century, the number of wintering ducks has declined slightly by less than 5% per year. Only 20 to 40 breeding pairs were recorded in the Netherlands in 2018-2020. The estimated maximum number of wintering ducks was 820,000 to 950,000 in 2016-2021. 730,000 to 870,000 pass through in November.
Smient ducks mainly graze in meadows at night. During the day, they can be found on open water like the edges of lakes and the Wadden Sea. Their distribution area includes the arctic and boreal zones. It stretches from Iceland through Scotland to Norway, Finland, and Russia. In winter, they migrate to the coastal regions of southern Europe, North Africa, and Asia. A significant portion of the European population winters in the Netherlands.
Since 2017, the Smient duck has been on the Red List of Dutch breeding birds. It is categorized as “Sensitive.” A small population breeds in the Netherlands. The numbers of wintering ducks from the north are decreasing. This is likely due to reduced breeding success. Because most of the European population winters in the Netherlands, we have a special international responsibility for the Smient.
Let’s appreciate the Smient. Remember its importance to our local ecosystem. Its story is a reminder of the interconnectedness of nature.