Teals are a group of small ducks belonging to the genus Anas of the family Anatidae. Birders can see teals on six major continents and islands. Teals are dabbling ducks, which are a type of true duck species. They are popular game birds. These birds are usually found in dense flocks.
Teals are primarily herbivorous, but some species, such as the Blue-winged Teal, may consume up to 25 per cent of animal foods in their diet. Teals do not fully submerge when feeding. While searching for food underwater, they are often spotted with their tails sticking above the water’s surface. As a result of their feeding method, teals have evolved to be more buoyant than diving ducks. Flocks of teals often take off together and change direction in unison.
1. Genus Anas
1.1. Andaman Teal (Anas albogularis)
Description: Andaman Teals are small brown ducks with pale throats and scalloped plumage. The face is sometimes all white but always has a white eye ring with a red iris. Their bills are bluish-grey. A white panel on the upper wing and white “armpits” on the underwing can be seen in flight. These species are considered a subspecies of the Sunda Teal (Anas gibberifrons)
Speculum – black with a short white line below the speculum formed by white tips to the outer one or two secondaries.
Conservation: IUCN listed them as Near Threatened (NT), mainly for human disturbance to the species’ habitat through irrigation, fishing, and hunting activities.
Habitat: Andaman Teals areadaptable and found in different wetlands, including mangroves, creeks, rice paddies, and lagoons, with varying types of water.
Distribution: Andaman Teals are endemic to the Andaman Islands (India) and Great Coco Island (Burma)
1.2. Andean Teal (Anas andium)
Andean Teals grow between 35 and 45 cm and weigh approximately 484 g.
Description: Andean Teals are birds with dark greyish-brown feathers. They have a spotted breast and fine vermiculation on the head. Male and female Andean Teals have similar appearances with dark grey bills. Additionally, their legs are grey.
Speculum – black with red leading edges and buff or white trailing edges.
Conservation: Listed by IUCN as Endangered (EN), mainly for human disturbance to the species’ habitat through irrigation, fishing, and hunting activities.
Habitat: Variety of freshwater lakes, rivers, and marshes at high altitudes in mountainous regions. It prefers palustrine habitats over waterways.
Distribution: Andean Teals are restricted to the Andean highlands of Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador.
1.3. Auckland (Island) Teal (Anas Aucklandica)
Auckland Teals can grow up to 36-48 cm in size and weigh between 500-620 g.
Description: Auckland Teals have brown plumage all over their body, with a hint of green on their necks. Their heads are brown and have noticeable white eye-rings. Females are slightly darker than males. These species have very small wings and, similar to the related Campbell Teals, have lost their ability to fly.
Conservation. Listed by IUCN as Near Threatened (NT). Cats and pigs that were introduced to Auckland Island caused the extinction of some species. Currently, none of the range islands have any introduced mammals. However, unintentionally introducing mammals like mice, rats or rabbits to the remaining island populations could cause local extinctions.
Habitat: Auckland Teals are found in various island habitats, such as tussock fields, mega herb shrubland, and coastal waters. They prefer sheltered coastlines and rely on dense vegetation for cover. Pairs may retreat to streams or pools for cover.
Distribution: Auckland Teals are endemic to the Auckland Islands, New Zealand, with populations on Ewing, Enderby, Rose, Ocean, Adams, Disappointment and Dundas Islands.
1.4. Baikal Teal (Anas formosa)
Baikal Teals grow to approximately 42 cm. They can weigh up to 520 g. They are also known as the Squawk Duck.
Description: Male Baikal Teals have intricate patterns, including green-and-yellow facial patterns, spotted rose-pink breasts, and long, drooping scapulars. Their crowns are dark brown with a black mask line dropping down their cheeks to their dark bills, and they have grey flanks. On the other hand, females are mostly drab brown but have a distinct white spot near the base of their bill. They also have a very weak hint of the male’s facial pattern.
Speculum – green with an indistinct cinnamon-buff inner border.
Conservation: IUCN listed them as Least Concern (LC).
Habitat: Bird species found in well-wooded areas, Arctic tundra, rivers, small lakes, pools, and marshes. Winters in freshwater or brackish wetlands, floodplains, rice fields, and meadows. Breeds in pools on the tundra edge and within swampy forests.
Distribution: Baikal teals breed in the forest zone of Eastern Siberia, from the Yenisei basin to Kamchatka and northern Koryak, among other areas. They migrate to South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and China for the winter.
1.5. Bernier’s Teal (Anas bernieri)
Bernier’s Teals are small ducks, measuring about 44 cm in length and averaging 400g in mass.
Description: Bernier’s Teals, also known as the Madagascar Teals, have brown bodies with mottled flanks and breasts. They have light-coloured heads, which is one of their identifying features. Females can have browner bills and legs (but the bill is grey during breeding season), and males have steeper (more vertical) foreheads.
Speculum – black with broad white leading edges and narrow white trailing edges.
Conservation: Listed by the IUCN as Endangered (EN). The main reasons are extensive habitat loss, disturbance, and potential hunting.
Habitat:
- Breeding – typically found in mangrove forests where they prefer open, shallow ponds and lakes. They rarely leave this habitat, which is mostly salty water.
- Wintering – coastal areas.
Distribution: Bernier’s Teals are Endemic to Madagascar. They are on record with the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Threatened Species due to extensive habitat loss, disturbance, and potential hunting.
1.6. Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors)
Blue-winged Teals reach a length of 40 cm and a weight of 370 g.
Description: Blue-winged Teals have striking features, with black faces and a broad crescent-shaped white stripe in front of their eyes. Their bodies are light brown with blackish dots and black backs. Non-breeding males are primarily golden brown with a slight dark stripe through their eyes, while females are uniformly brown with blackish dots.
Speculum – Green with blue wing coverts.
Similar to:
- Cinnamon Teal. Female Blue-winged Teals and non-breeding male Blue-winged Teals have black eye-lines. Female Cinnamon Teals and non-breeding male Cinnamon Teals have negligible black eye-lines.
- Female Garganey. Female Blue-winged Teal has white eye-ring; female Garganey does not. Blue-winged Teal has yellow legs. Garganey does not.
Conservation: Listed as Least Concern (LC).
Habitat:
- Breeding – shallow ponds with abundant invertebrates, which predominate in diets of both sexes.
- Wintering – coastal wetlands, estuarine areas, inland freshwater marshes, and brackish and saltwater marshes.
Distribution: Blue-winged Teals range across North America, except for some areas in Alaska and Canada’s northeast. During winters, they can be spotted in several regions, including southern California, the Gulf Coast, the Caribbean, and Central and South America, sometimes as far as Brazil and central Chile.
1.7. Brown Teal (Anas chlorotis)
Brown Teals typically range in size from 36 to 48 cm and have a weight range of 586 to 860 g. Brown teals are endemic to New Zealand and are only one of three that can fly.
Description: Brown Teals have green iridescence on their heads, chestnut breasts, and barred flank feathers. Females and juveniles are uniformly brown. Both sexes have a white eye ring, dark grey bill, legs, and feet.
Speculum – green with a white trailing edge to it
Conservation: Listed as Near Threatened (NT) by the IUCN because of predation by introduced mammalian predators, primarily cats and dogs.
Habitat: Coastal waters in sheltered bays and inland, on marshes, pools, and streams with some tree cover.
1.8. Campbell Island Teal (Anas nesiotis)
Campbell Teals typically range in size from 36 to 48 cm and have a weight range of 290 to 500 g.
Description: Campbell Island Teals are small, nocturnal, flightless birds with dark sepia heads and iridescent green backs. Males have chestnut breasts, while females are dark brown all over.
Conservation: Listed by IUCN as Near Threatened (NT). This is mainly due to the accidental reintroduction of rats, severe weather events and oil spills.
Habitat: Inhabits rocky shorelines, peaty streams, and pools in wetlands with profuse sedge and tussock cover
Distribution: Campbell Island teals are endemic to the Campbell Island group of New Zealand.
1.9. Cape Teal (Anas capensis)
Cape Teals typically range in size from 44 to 48 cm and have a weight range of 352 to 502 g.
Description: Cape Teals are non-migratory birds with pale grey plumage, brown backs, and pink bills with a black base. Their underparts have dark spots, especially on the flanks. Females’ heads are darker, and their bills are duller pink.
Speculum – green outlined in white.
Conservation: Listed as Least Concern (LC).
Habitat: Nomadic birds that move vast distances depending on water supply. Various aquatic environments include lakes, pools, wetlands, dams, reservoirs, coastlines, and mudflats. They will breed on dry plains under vegetation near water.
Distribution: Cape Teals are found in several African countries including South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Chad, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
1.10. Chestnut Teal (Anas castenea)
Chestnut Teals typically range in size from 35 to 46 cm and have a weight range of 562 to 816 g.
Description: Chestnut Teals are small ducks with high foreheads and rounded heads. Male birds have a green head, chestnut brown neck, breast and flanks, dark brown body, and wings, black undertail with a white patch, and red eyes.
Females have dark brown and grey mottled feathers, brown-streaked pale throats, and dark eye stripes. Both sexes have blue-grey bills and green-grey legs and feet.
Speculum – black with bright iridescent bronze-green spot in males contrasted with dull, non-iridescent green speculum in females, as well as white greater coverts that are dark-spotted or mostly dark in females. Both have white edges.
Similar to:
- Grey Teal. Grey Teals have lighter necks and faces than female Chestnut Teals.
- Sunda Teal. Sunda Teals have lighter chins and forenecks than female Chestnut Teals. Their ranges do not overlap.
Conservation: Listed as Least Concern (LC).
Habitat: Found in estuaries, coastal lagoons, marshes, saltmarshes, mangrove swamps and inland waters, including lower reaches of rivers, saltpans, and saltwater lakes.
Distribution: Chestnut teals are found in Australia.
1.11. Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera)
Cinnamon Teals are 41 cm long and weigh an average of 400g.
Description: Cinnamon Teals have bright rusty/chestnut plumage on the head, neck, and underparts. They have protruding heads, bold red irises, and olive-green plumage on the front of their heads. Their bright chestnut feathers are dotted with brown spots, while their tails are brown and black with a white band. Both sexes have red eyes and a blue-grey bill.
Speculum – black with wide white leading edges.
Similar to:
- Blue-winged Teal. Female Blue-winged Teals and non-breeding male Blue-winged Teals have black eye-lines. Female Cinnamon Teals and non-breeding male Cinnamon Teals have negligible black eye-lines.
- Red Shoveler. Male Cinnamon Teals have darker heads than male Red Shovelers.
Conservation: Listed as Least Concern (LC).
Habitat:
- Breeding – found in wetlands, freshwater marsh systems, natural basins, reservoirs, sluggish streams, ditches, and stock ponds.
- Wintering – some stay where they are but prefer tidal estuaries; freshwater, brackish, and salt marshes; agricultural fields; and mangrove forests.
Distribution:
- Breeding – occurring in Canada, USA, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, and the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).
- Winter – northern South America, the Caribbean, California, and southwestern Arizona.
1.12. Eurasian Teal, also Common Teal (Anas crecca)
Eurasian Teals are small ducks measuring up to 37cm and weighing approximately 340g.
Description: Eurasian Teals have vibrant colours during the breeding season. Males have a chestnut-brown cap, emerald-green eye stripe, chestnut-brown chest, and finely vermiculated black and white backs. Females are mottled brown with darker streaks. Their bills are small and dark.
Speculum – black and also distinctive green with white edging.
Similar to:
- Green-winged Teal. Some consider these the same species. Breeding male Green-winged Teals have vertical white stripes on the side of their breasts; breeding Eurasian Teals do not. The species are difficult to differentiate for non-breeding males and also females.
- Mallard – Wikipedia. The plumage of female Green-winged Teal and female Mallard are similar. Size is the best differentiator.
Conservation: Listed as Least Concern (LC)
Habitat:
- Breeding – small freshwater lakes, pools, slow-flowing rivers, and shallow marshes with abundant fringe vegetation, favouring oligotrophic waters in Britain and Ireland.
- Winter – inhabits brackish wetlands, reservoirs, rice fields in Asia and Europe, and coastlines, including saltmarshes and large estuaries. However, they prefer shallow, sheltered waters that are highly productive.
Distribution:
- Breeding – the Eurasian teal breeds across the Palearctic, including Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, northern Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and northern western China.
- Winter – the Eurasian Teals are widespread and move further south. They can be found in Europe, India, Asia, and Africa.
1.13. Grey Teal (Anas gracilis)
Grey Teals typically range in size from 37 to 47 cm and have a weight range of 395 to 670 g.
Description: Grey Teals are typically covered in mottled brown feathers. They have a pale neck and a brown head. From afar, they look grey-brown. One way to identify them is by their striking crimson eyes. Both males and females share the same colouration. Their bills are a blue-grey colour with dark linings around the edges.
Speculum – prominent white wedge on the leading edge of a black speculum, with narrow white tips on the trailing edge. Additionally, there is an oval patch of bronze-green on the inner speculum.
Similar to: Female Chestnut Teal. Grey Teals have a lighter neck and face than the female Chestnut Teals.
Conservation: Listed as Least Concern (LC).
Habitat: Adapts to all wetland types, including flooded areas, sewage plants, and coastal lagoons. They can also be found in some Australian rice fields.
Distribution: Grey Teals can be found in Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, and Indonesia.
1.14. Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis)
Green-winged Teals typically reach a size from 37 cm and have a weight range of 250 to 450 g.
Description: Green-winged Teals have grey flanks and backs. They have a white vertical stripe down from the shoulder to the waterline. They have chestnut heads with a green eyepatch running through the eye to a small crest at the back bordered buff. Their breasts are pinkish with small black dots. Females are speckled brown with a dark eyeline and nearly all white bellies.
Speculum – black and metallic dark green with buff leading edges and white stripe on trailing edges.
Similar to:
- Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal. The female Green-winged Teal can be differentiated from these other teals by its dark eye-line.
- Eurasian Teal. Some consider these the same species. Breeding male Green-winged Teals have a vertical white stripe on the side of their breasts; breeding Eurasian Teal do not. These species are difficult to differentiate for non-breeding males and also females.
- Female Mallard. The plumage of female Green-winged Teals and female Mallards are similar, but size is the best differentiator.
Conservation: Listed as Least Concern (LC).
Habitat:
- Breeding – found in shallow wetlands, preferring fresh water.
- Winter commonly inhabits fresh, saltwater, and wetlands with abundant emergent and floating vegetation. They prefer tidal mudflats over any other duck species.
Distribution: Green-winged Teals are found in Northern America. They will breed in the northern parts and migrate south in winter, including the Caribbean Islands.
1.15. Red-billed Teal (Anas erythrorhyncha)
Red-billed typically range in size from 43 to 48 cm and have a weight range of 345 to 984 g.
Description: Red-billed Teals are birds with a unique appearance. They have a solid chocolate-coloured cap and nape that extends just below their eyes. Their faces are pale and contrasting, while their bills are a bright shade of red. These birds’ body plumage is a dark brown shade scalloped with white. It’s worth noting that both males and females have a similar appearance.
Speculum – buff-coloured with a black stripe across them during flight.
Similar to Hottentot Teal, the Hottentot Teal’s bills are blue.
Conservation: Listed as Least Concern (LC).
Habitat: Wetlands with shallow, fresh water and abundant vegetation, including lakes, marshes, dams, flooded fields, and small rivers. Regularly feeds in rice fields.
Distribution. Red-billed Teals are an abundant resident breeder in southern and eastern Africa.
1.16. Sunda Teal, also Indonesian Teal (Anas gibberifrons)
Sunda Teals typically range in size from 37 to 47 cm and have a weight range of 360 to 455 g.
Description Sunda Teals are small, mottled brown ducks with ruby-red eyes and a noticeable rounded bulging forehead. Their upper necks are creamy white, and their wings are dark brown. Both males and females share the same colouration.
Speculum – black with prominent white wedges along the leading edges and narrow white tips to the trailing edges. They have an oval patch of bronze-green on the inner speculum.
Similar to Chestnut Teals (female), Sunda Teals have lighter chins and forenecks than female Chestnut Teals. Their ranges do not overlap.
Conservation: Listed by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Near Threatened. Hunting and the conversion and degradation of river and mangrove habitats are the primary threats.
Habitat: Found in various wetlands, including rivers, mangrove swamps, and coastal areas with fresh, brackish, or saline waters. They have even been observed on the sea.
Distribution: Sunda Teals are found in Indonesia.
1.17. Yellow-billed Teal (Anas flavirostris)
Yellow-billed Teals typically range in size from 35 to 45 cm and have a weight range of 388 to 830 g.
Description: Yellow-billed Teals are small and compact. They have dark heads, short necks, and bright yellow bills with a black edge and ridge. Their chests and backs are mottled brown, while their sides, flanks, and bellies are plain with a greyish colour.
Speculum – velvet black and metallic green colour, bordered in front by rufescent band and buff or white on the trailing edges.
Similar to Yellow-billed Pintail. Yellow-billed pintails have spotted flanks, but Yellow-billed Teals do not. Yellow-billed Teals have larger spots on their chests than Yellow-billed Pintails.
Conservation: Listed as Least Concern (LC).
Habitat: Found in various freshwater lakes, rivers, and marshes, generally at high altitudes in mountainous country in bogs with ponds and creeks, but also in lower ground. In winter, commonly on the coast.
Distribution: Yellow-billed Teals are found in South America. Southernmost breeding birds winter in more temperate regions, as far north as Uruguay, Paraguay, and SE Brazil.
2. Genus Spatula
2.1. Hottentot Teal (Spatula hottentota)
Hottentot Teals, also called Blue-billed Teals, are around 30-36 cm long and weigh up to 288 g.
Description: Hottentot Teals are brownish with darker caps and napes, buff cheeks and throats, and dark brown upperparts. The back and rump are blackish, and the underparts are paler, with dark brown spots on their necks and breasts.
Their bills are blue with black culmen ridges, and they have dark bluish-grey legs and feet with brown eyes. Females have spotted flanks, mainly brown scapulars, and duller caps and cheek patches.
Speculum – green with black and white terminal lines.
Similar to Red-billed Teal. Hottentot Teals have blue bills; Red-billed Teals have red bills.
Conservation: Listed as Least Concern (LC).
Habitat: Reside in smaller, shallow bodies of water such as swamps, marshes, small lakes, and pools of shallow fresh water. They prefer abundant floating and emergent vegetation, particularly water-lilies and Typha bulrushes. They can also be found in larger lakes that lack vegetation, such as dams and sewage ponds, especially in Malawi and South Africa.
Distribution: Hottentot Teals are found in tropical eastern Africa, from Angola to Madagascar. Its range includes Ethiopia, Cape Province, northern Botswana, and Namibia.
2.2. Puna Teal (Spatula puna)
Puna Teals typically range in size from 48 to 51 cm and have a weight range of 546 to 560 g.
Description: Puna Teals have a black cap that extends just below their eyes. Their bills are a distinctive pale blue with a black line down the middle. They have shortish creamy white necks and cheeks. Their bodies are light brown with darker brown spotting. Both sexes are similar.
Speculum – iridescent green with posterior black and white bars.
Similar to Silver Teals. Silver Teals have yellow on the bills; Puna Teals do not. Puna Teals have dirty-looking rumps compared to Silver Teals. Puna Teals were once considered a subspecies of Silver Teal.
Conservation: Listed as Least Concern (LC).
Habitat: Thrives in wetland environments that are slightly alkaline and have a lot of floating vegetation.
Distribution: Puna Teals occur naturally in the Andes of Peru, western Bolivia, northern Chile, and extreme northwestern Argentina.
2.3. Silver Teal (Spatula versicolor)
Silver Teals typically range in size from 38 to 43 cm and have a weight range of 373 to 384 g.
Description: Silver Teals are small birds easily identified by their striking head and bill patterns. Male birds can be recognised by their blackish-brown caps, separated from their pale buff cheeks and necks. Their breasts are also buff-coloured and have small black spots that become bars on their flanks. The rump and tail coverts are finely vermiculated with black and white, while the upper wing coverts are a dull, slaty blue.
Speculum – green speculum bordered by white.
Similar to Puna Teal. Silver Teals have yellow bills, while Puna Teals do not. Puna Teals have rumps that appear dirty compared to Silver Teals. Puna Teals were once considered a subspecies of Silver Teals.
Conservation: Listed as Least Concern (LC).
Habitat: Shallow freshwater lakes, swamps and pools bordered with abundant floating or emergent vegetation.
Distribution. Silver Teal’s range includes southern Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, and the Falkland Islands. Some birds migrate to southern Brazil in the winter.
3. Genus Callonetta
3.1. Ringed Teal (Callonetta leucophrys)
Ringed Teals typically range in size from 35 to 38 cm and have a weight range of 310 to 340 g.
Description: Ringed Teals are colourful birds. They are small ducks with pale faces, black crowns and hindnecks, white hip patches, grey barred flanks, bluebills, and pink legs. Their upper bodies are rich orange-chestnut. The females have olive-brownish backs, faces marked with pale stripes, and pale underparts barred with brown. Both males and females have dark tails, contrasting pale rumps, and a distinctive white patch on the wing.
Speculum – metallic green with a white greater patch.
Conservation: Listed as Least Concern (LC).
Habitat. Swampy forests and marshy clearings in lowlands; also on pools, streams, and rice paddies.
Distribution: Ringed-Teals are found in north-west Argentina and Paraguay, also occurring in Bolivia, Brazil, and Uruguay.
Conclusion
Teals are a captivating and diverse group of waterfowl. They are admired for their striking colours, unique behaviours, and crucial role in the ecosystem. Despite being relatively small, these birds play a significant role in maintaining the balance of wetland habitats by feeding on insects and dispersing seeds.
Due to their plumage, they are a popular subject for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts. Teals can be more easily identified in flight by the colouring of their speculums.
However, like many other bird species, teals face habitat loss and climate change threats. Therefore, it is essential to continue studying and appreciating these birds while taking steps to protect their habitats and ensure their survival for future generations to enjoy.