Teal

  
Teal is a medium blue-green colour.
It has its name from the Anas crecca, whose name is 'Common Teal', a member of the duck-family,
whose eyes are sorrounded by this speciel colour.

Anas crecca Krikkand Eurasian Teal, Common Teal eu-as Marmaronetta angustirostris Marmorand Marbled Teal eu-as Anas albogularis Hvitstrupekrikkand Andaman Teal as Anas gibberifrons Gråkrikkand Sunda Teal indo Anas capensis Kappand Cape Teal af Anas bernieri Gasserkrikkand Bernier's Teal af Anas hottentota Hottentottand Hottentot Teal af

  
Eurasian Teal, Common Teal , Anas crecca, No: Krikkand



The Teal is found in North America, subspecies Anas crecca carolinensis, and Europe, Asia and Africa, Anas crecca crecca.
It is partly migratory but in most of Europe it is resident all year.
It is a dabbling duck and one of the most abundant with about 7 million in North America, and over 1 million in Europe.



It is also the smallest duck and, when flying in dense flock formation, it looks almost like a wader.
In flight, it shows a broad white wing-bar and a glossy green speculum.
In breeding plumage, picture no. 1 above, the male has a chestnut head with green sides surrounded by a thin yellow line.


In eclipse plumage, above picture, the males look very like the females.
Text and photos above: © Arthuer Grosset



Marmaronetta angustirostris, Marmorand, Marbled Teal eu-as
Dutch: Marmer taling
German: Marmelente
French: Sarcelle marbrée


© Arthuer Grosset

The Marbled Duck, or Marbled Teal, Marmaronetta angustirostris, is a medium-sized duck.
It used to be included among the dabbling ducks, but is now classed as a diving duck.

This duck formerly bred in large numbers in the Mediterranean region, but is now restricted to a few sites in southern Spain and
northwest Africa. In the east it survives in Iran (Shadegan Marshes - the world's most important site), as well as isolated pockets
in Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq and further to the east in western India and western China.

Its breeding habitat is lowland where they lay their eggs in long grass or in high trees. They may lay 7 to 10 cream eggs.
They are common in private collections but are a nervous and flighty bird. In some areas birds disperse from the breeding grounds,
and have been encountered in the winter period in the Sahel zone, south of the Sahara.

Marbled duck adult with ducklings dabbling, swimming and preening
Granada Wild, London
www.arkive.org

The Marbled Duck is approximately 39–42 centimetres (15–17 in) long. Adults are a pale sandy-brown colour, diffusely blotched
off-white, with a dark eye-patch and shaggy head. Juveniles are similar but with more off-white blotches.
In flight, the wings look pale without a marked pattern, and no speculum on the secondaries.

These are gregarious birds, at times even when nesting. Outside the breeding season flocks are often small, although large
wintering flocks have been reported in some areas. The largest winter concentration known is in Khuzestan, Iran.

These birds feed mainly in shallow water by dabbling or up-ending, occasionally diving. Little is known of their diet.


Marbled Teal, Marmaronetta angustirostris, at Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park, North Carolina, Nov.2009
Photo: Dick Daniels (http://carolinabirds.org/)

This bird is considered vulnerable due to a reduction in population caused by habitat destruction and hunting.
It is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

The scientific name, Marmaronetta angustirostris, comes from the Greek marmaros, marbled and netta, a duck,
and Latin angustus, narrow or small and rostris billed.[3]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marbled_Duck

From of a distance, this small ducks appear to be just plain brown, but when observed up close, you will the buff spots or
"marbles" for which this species is named for. The sexes are similar, with hens having yellowish patch at the base of the bill.
Males seem to have a larger head than hens, due to a crest that is used when courting hens.
Both sexes lack the metallic wing speculum seen in other teal.

Anas albogularis, Hvitstrupekrikkand, Andaman Teal as
Nettion albogularis

Anas albogularis, Andaman Teal; and Anas gibberifrons, Sunda Teal (behind)
Artist: John Gerrard Keulemans, Date 1895
Source Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum. Volume 27

The Andaman Teal, Anas albogularis, is a species of small duck found in the Andaman Islands of India.
The species was considered as a subspecies of the Sunda Teal.

The species is dark brown with buffy markings. The face and throat are pale with a white ring around the eye.
The bill is bluish grey and the iris is red.

They are found in inland pools as well as mangroves and lagoons. They feed at night in rice fields.
The breeding season is July to October and nests in reed patches.
The nest is made of grass and about nine eggs forms the clutch.
They were formerly considered to breed in tree hollows but recent studies found no evidence.
They feed mainly on molluscs and arthropods.
A population estimate of 500 to 600 was made in a survey conducted in 1995-98.

© Vasas András

Recently, Rasmussen and Anderton (in press) have elevated Andaman Teal to species level as Anas albogularis.
If this is accepted, then the Andaman Teal would be one of the rarest ducks in the world,
as Vijayan and Sankaran have estimated that not more than 600 are left in the Andaman Islands.
http://www.ibcn.in/


Anas gibberifrons Gråkrikkand Sunda Teal indo


Sunda Teal (Oceanic Teal) Anas gibberifrons (Muller)
Artist: J.G. Keulemans, 1898
Source 'Journal of the Bombay Natural History, Vol XII, No. 2, 1898.

The Sunda Teal, Anas gibberifrons, also known as the Indonesian Teal, is a dabbling duck found in open wetlands in Indonesia.
The species formerly included the Andaman Teal, Anas albogularis, and the Grey Teal, Anas gracilis, as subspecies.

This is a mottled brown duck with white and green flashes on its wings. The male and female Sunda Teal share the same colouration,
in contrast to the related Chestnut Teal, Anas castanea, whose male and female are strikingly different.
The nominate Sunda Teal has almost identical colouration to the female Chestnut Teal and can only be distinguished by its
lighter coloured neck, paler face and especially the bulging forehead.
The Andaman Teal has a variable amount of white on the forehead and around the eyes.
The Rennell Island Teal looked like a smaller version of the nominate subspecies,
with a stubbier bill. Juveniles are paler than adults, especially on the head.


© orientalbirdimages.org

The Sunda Teal nests near its favoured freshwater lakes and marshes, usually on the ground, but also in tree holes or rabbit burrows.

This is a vocal duck, especially at night. The male gives a soft preep, and the female has a loud quack.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunda_Teal

Two subspecies are extant, and one extinct:
•Sunda Teal,, Anas gibberifrons gibberifrons, occurs in central and southern Indonesia
•Andaman Teal, Anas gibberifrons albogularis, occurs in the Andaman Islands
•Rennell Island Teal, Anas gibberifrons remissa, formerly found on Rennell Island in the Solomons.
The Grey Teal, Anas gracilis, was formerly considered to belong into this species.

Anas capensis Kappand Cape Teal af


Anas capensis, 2005
Photo: BS Thurner Hof

The Cape Teal, Anas capensis, is a 44-46 cm long dabbling duck of open wetlands in sub-Saharan Africa.

This species is essentially non-migratory, although it moves opportunistically with the rains.
Like many southern ducks, the sexes are similar. It is very pale and mainly grey, with a browner back and pink on the bill
(young birds lack the pink). The Cape Teal cannot be confused with any other duck in its range.

It is a thinly distributed but widespread duck, rarely seen in large groups except the moulting flocks, which may number up to 2 000.


By andytang20

This species feeds on aquatic plants and small creatures (invertebrates, crustaceans and amphibians) obtained by dabbling.
The nest is on the ground under vegetation and near water.

This is a generally quiet species, except during mating displays.
The breeding male has a clear whistle, whereas the female has a feeble "quack".

Anas bernieri Gasserkrikkand Bernier's Teal af


Photo: BS Thurner Hof

Bernier's Teal Anas bernieri (also known as Madagascar Teal) is a duck species of the genus Anas.
It is endemic to Madagascar, where it is found only along the west coast.

This duck is 40 to 45 cm in length, and is predominately warm brown all over with conspicuous black scalloping,
heaviest on flanks and breast. It has a black speculum, and its bill is pinkish gray and slightly upturned.

It prefers mangroves and rarely leaves this habitat where it favors open shallow ponds and lakes, preferably brackish.
They tend to eat invertabrates. They nest in tree cavities, mainly mangrove.


Photo: JoJan
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anas_bernieri01.jpg

This bird is threaten from extinction because of trapping, shooting and forest destruction.

The binomial commemorates the French surgeon Chevalier J A Bernier.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernier's_Teal

In 1993 and 1995 a small collection of Madagascar Teal was captured in Western Madagascar and exported to
Jersey Wildlife Trust to start a captive breeding program, in 1998 they were rewarded with the first ever captive breeding
of the species.
Text door D. Jaquest (UK)
Overgenomen uit TWSG-forum - from Jan Harteman

Anas hottentota Hottentottand Hottentot Teal af


Anas hottentota, Zürich Zoo Masoala Hall
Photo: Guérin Nicolas
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anatra_ottentotta_(Zurich_zoo).jpeg

The Hottentot Teal, Anas hottentota, is a species of dabbling duck of the genus Anas.
It is migratory resident in eastern and southern Africa, from Sudan and Ethiopia west to Niger and Nigeria and south to
South Africa and Namibia. In west Africa, and Madagascar it is sedentary.

The Hottentot Teal breed year round, depending on rainfall, and stay in small groups or pairs.
They build nests above water in tree stumps and use vegetation.
This species is omnivorous and prefers smaller shallow bodies of water.

The Hottentot Teal is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory
Waterbirds (AEWA) applies. The status of the Hottentot Teal is Least Concern.

Two birds landing in water, Ethiopia, Dec. 2008
Photo: ©Stefan Helming
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/photo/hottentot-teal-anas-hottentota/two-birds-landing-water