Chestnut Teal
Anas castanea· 鸭科(1 photos)
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Chestnut Teal
40-48 cm. Male: elegant small duck with bottle-green head, rich chestnut body, white flank mark, black stern. In poor light, can look blackish. Male, eclipse (Feb.-April, after breeding): like dark female; head finely mottled black. Female and immature: like Grey Teal, but crown darker, face and throat richer buff, more heavily speckled; body and wings mottled darker. In flight, narrow white wingbar and dark green speculum above; narrow white wedge on 'armpit'. Pairs, parties or flocks: habits like Grey Teal but prefers saline habitats.
- Similar Species
- Australasian Shoveler, male: huge bill, pale crescent on blue-green face; white underwing.
- Voice
- male: high-pitched 'peep!' or grunt-whistle 'gdeeoo', like male Grey Teal. Female: wild laughing chuckle.
- Habitat
- coastal swamps: fresh, brackish and saline; saltmarshes, tidal mudflats, estuaries; inlets, islands; freshwater wetlands, montane lakes.
- Breeding
- July-Dec., other months after rain.
- Nest
- lined with down; in tree hollow; grass, rushes, rock crevice; readily uses nest-boxes.
- Eggs
- 7-10; lustrous, cream.
- Range & Status
- se. Aust., from Cairns (Q) to Eyre Pen. (SA); also sw. WA; commonest duck in Bass Strait and Tas. Adults make local seasonal movements; young birds disperse far: casual Pilbara (WA), inland Aust.; Top End (NT), C. York and Townsville Common (Q), Lord Howe I. and PNG.
