Chestnut teal

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The chestnut teal (Anas castanea) is a dabbling duck found in Australia. It is protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.[clarification needed]

Chestnut teal
Male
Female
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Anas
Species:
A. castanea
Binomial name
Anas castanea
(Eyton, 1838)

Taxonomy

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The chestnut teal was described by the English naturalist Thomas Campbell Eyton in 1838 under the binomial name Mareca castanea.[2] The specific epithet castanea is from the Latin castaneus for "chestnut-coloured" or "chestnut-brown".[3]

A large molecular phylogentic study that compared mitochondrial DNA sequences from ducks, geese and swans in the family Anatidae found that the chestnut teal is a sister species to the Sunda teal (Anas gibberifrons) that is endemic to Indonesia.[4]

Description

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The chestnut teal is darker and a slightly bigger bird than the grey teal.[5]

The male has a distinctive green coloured head and mottled brown body. The female has a brown head and mottled brown body. The female is almost identical in appearance to the grey teal.

The female chestnut teal has a loud penetrating "laughing" quack repeated rapidly nine times or more.[5]

Distribution and habitat

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Female and 6 ducklings, including 2 albinos (Tasmania)

The chestnut teal is commonly distributed in south-eastern and south-western Australia, while vagrants may occur elsewhere. Tasmania and southern Victoria are the species' stronghold,[5] while vagrants have been found as far north as New Guinea and Lord Howe Island, and as far south as New Zealand.[6]

The chestnut teal prefers coastal estuaries and wetlands, and is indifferent to salinity. This bird is an omnivore.

Breeding

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Chestnut teals form monogamous pairs that stay together outside the breeding season, defend the nest site and look after the young when hatched. Nests are usually located over water, in a down-lined tree hollow about 6–10 m high. Sometimes nests are placed on the ground, among clumps of grass near water. The young hatch and are ready to swim and walk within a day.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Anas castanea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22680277A92853345. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22680277A92853345.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ Eyton, Thomas Campbell (1838). A Monograph on the Anatidae, or Duck Tribe. London: Longman, Orme, Brown, Green, & Longman. p. 119.
  3. ^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 93. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
  4. ^ Gonzalez, J.; Düttmann, H.; Wink, M. (2009). "Phylogenetic relationships based on two mitochondrial genes and hybridization patterns in Anatidae". Journal of Zoology. 279 (3): 310–318. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2009.00622.x.
  5. ^ a b c "Chestnut Teal". Victoria State Government: Game Management Authority. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Chestnut Teal". Birds in Backyards. Archived from the original on 8 September 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
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