Speckled Teals
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The Speckled Teal (Anas flavirostris) is a South American duck species. Like other teals, it belongs to the diverse genus Anas; more precisely it is one of the "true" teals of subgenus Nettion.
It resides in the Andes in Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Uruguay and Brazil. It inhabits freshwater wetlands, preferring palustrine habitat to rivers.
Considering its wide range and local abundance, it is not considered threatened by the IUCN. It is often split into two or more species.
Taxonomy
Mitochondrial DNA sequence data is most similar to that of the very different-looking Green-winged Teal. Apart from the mystifying relationship with the red-and-green-headed teals, it altogether most resembles the Indian Ocean radiation of teals. But the Yellow-billed Teal's unicolored underside and namesake bill are unique, as is to be expected from a species that evolved half a world apart from Bernier's or the Grey Teal.
This species is also unique among its relatives in some aspects of its post-copulation behavior: After dismounting, the drakes stretch themselves up high and swim around and alongside the females.
Traditionally, there are 4 subspecies:
- Merida Teal, Anas flavirostris altipetens – highlands of north-west Venezuela and adjacent parts of Colombia.
- Andean Teal, Anas flavirostris andium - highlands of Colombia and Ecuador.
- Sharp-winged Teal, Anas flavirostris oxyptera – highlands of central Peru to northern Chile and Argentina.
- Chilean Teal, Anas flavirostris flavirostris – southern South America as far north as southern Brazil and northern Argentina. Also in the Falklands.
Each of the above have been considered as separate species, but increasingly the two northern taxa altipetens and andium, which have a dark greyish bill, are considered as a single species, the Andean Teal (Anas andium, with altipetens as a subspecies). In that case, the two remaining taxa, which have a largely yellow bill, are referred to as the Speckled or Yellow-billed Teal (Anas flavirostris, with oxyptera as a subspecies).
Copyright: Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia.org
Diet / Feeding:
Teals usually feeds by dabbling, upending or grazing; it may submerge its head and on occasion even dive to reach food. In the breeding season it eats mainly aquatic invertebrates, such as crustaceans, insects and their larvae, molluscs and worms. In winter, it shifts to a largely granivorous diet, feeding on seeds of aquatic plants and grasses, including sedges and grains. Diurnal throughout the breeding season, in winter they are often crepuscular or even nocturnal feeders.
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
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