Grey Teal
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| Grey Teal Conservation status: Lower risk (lc) | ||||||||||||||
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| Missing image GreyTealSmall.jpg Grey Teal | ||||||||||||||
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| Anas gibberifrons Muller,S, 1842 |
The Grey Teal (Anas gibberifrons) is a dabbling duck found in open wetlands in Australia, New Zealand, the Andaman Islands and Indonesia.
This is a mottled brown duck with white and green flashes on its wings. The male and female Grey Teal share the same colouration, in contrast to the related Chestnut Teal, whose male and female are strikingly different. The Grey Teal has almost identical colouration to the female Chestnut Teal and the Grey can only be distinguished by its lighter coloured neck and paler face. Juveniles are paler than adults, especially on the head.
Grey 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.
This is a gregarious species. In Australia it is nomadic, rapidly colonising suitable habitat following rain. In 1957, large numbers fled Australia, moving to New Zealand to escape drought.
Three subspecies are extant, and one extinct:
- Australian Grey Teal A. g. gracilis, occurs in Australia and New Zealand
- East Indian Grey Teal A. g. gibberifrons, occurs in central and southern Indonesia
- Andaman Grey Teal A. g. albogularis, occurs in the Andaman Islands
- Rennell Island Grey Teal A. g. remissa, formerly found on Rennell Island in the Solomons.
References
- Wildfowl by Madge and Burn, ISBN 0-7470-2201-1
Categories: Anas | Ducks