Grey Teals
Duck Information ... Duck Species ... Photo Gallery
Books / CDs about Ducks, Geese and Other Fowl (
, 
, 
, 
)
The Grey Teal (Anas gracilis) is a dabbling duck found in open wetlands in Australia and New Zealand.
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.
It was formerly considered a subspecies of the Sunda Teal, as Anas gibberifrons gracilis.
Description:
This is a mottled brown duck with white and green flashes on its wings. The male and female Grey Teal share the same coloration, in contrast to the related Chestnut Teal, whose male and female are strikingly different.
The Grey Teal has almost identical coloration to the female Chestnut Teal and the Grey can only be distinguished by its lighter colored neck and paler face.
Juveniles are paler than adults, especially on the head.
Nesting / Breeding:
The Grey Teal nests near its favoured freshwater lakes and marshes, usually on the ground, but also in tree holes or rabbit burrows.
Call / Vocalization:
This is a vocal duck, especially at night. The male gives a soft preep, and the female has a loud quack.
Copyright: Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia.org
Diet / Feeding:
Ducks generally feed on larvae and pupae often found under rocks, as well as aquatic animals, plant material, seeds, small fish, snails and crabs.
Feeding Ducks ...
We all enjoy ducks and many of us offer them food to encourage them to come over and stay around - and it works! Who doesn't like an easy meal!
However, the foods that we traditionally feed them at local ponds are utterly unsuitable for them and are likely to cause health problems down the road. Also, there may be local laws against feeding this species of bird - so it's best to check on that rather than facing consequences at a later stage.
- Click here to find out which foods to feed them that will offer the nutrition they need to survive a cold winter and remain healthy
Photo, Video and/or Article contributions are welcome! Please click here for info
The Avianweb strives to maintain accurate and up-to-date information; however, mistakes do happen. If you would like to correct or update any of the information, please send us an e-mail. THANK YOU!
