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Grey teal
The grey teal (Anas gracilis) is a dabbling duck found in open wetlands in Australia and New Zealand.
It is identified by the presence of a crimson coloured iris in its eyes, which is relatively more prominent in adult males.
It is a mottled brown duck with white and green flashes on its wings. Males and females share the same colouration, in contrast to the related chestnut teal, male and female of which 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. However, they can be identified by having a dull brown eye until matured. The bill of the grey teal is a blue-grey colour with dark lining around the edges. Feet are a similar colour to that of the bill being grey. The head of the grey teal can be described as plain/slightly streaked, with a dark crown and cream coloured chin/throat and cheeks.
The eggs of the grey teal are creamy white and are not distinctly speckled. An average egg is 49.3 mm (1.94 in) in length and 35.6 mm (1.40 in) in width. The grey teal nests near its favoured freshwater lakes and marshes, usually on the ground, but also in tree holes or rabbit burrows.
It is a vocal duck, especially at night. The male gives a soft preep, and the female has a loud quack.
The grey teal is a gregarious species. It is nomadic in Australia, rapidly colonising suitable habitat following rain. In 1957, large numbers fled Australia, moving to New Zealand to escape a drought.
Adult grey teal, Anas gracilis, undergo a flightless moult that is not fixed in the year. Before the breeding season, mature birds, both male and female, will undergo a body moult that excludes the wings. After the breeding season, both partners will undergo a complete body moult (including wings). According to Janet Kear (2005), in Australia the moult of this species is correlated with climate conditions. Indeed, during a prolonged wet season birds postpone wing moult in order to extend the breeding season, probably to better exploit wetlands resources.
That postponement could be explained by the fact that ducks try not to moult and breed at the same time. For some species of birds it is impossible to do both simultaneously. The tendency seems to be that body moult (including wings) generally occurs between the months of January to March. Juveniles will undergo a moult of the entire body other than the wings, which occurs in the first autumn or early winter.
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Grey teal AI simulator
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Grey teal
The grey teal (Anas gracilis) is a dabbling duck found in open wetlands in Australia and New Zealand.
It is identified by the presence of a crimson coloured iris in its eyes, which is relatively more prominent in adult males.
It is a mottled brown duck with white and green flashes on its wings. Males and females share the same colouration, in contrast to the related chestnut teal, male and female of which 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. However, they can be identified by having a dull brown eye until matured. The bill of the grey teal is a blue-grey colour with dark lining around the edges. Feet are a similar colour to that of the bill being grey. The head of the grey teal can be described as plain/slightly streaked, with a dark crown and cream coloured chin/throat and cheeks.
The eggs of the grey teal are creamy white and are not distinctly speckled. An average egg is 49.3 mm (1.94 in) in length and 35.6 mm (1.40 in) in width. The grey teal nests near its favoured freshwater lakes and marshes, usually on the ground, but also in tree holes or rabbit burrows.
It is a vocal duck, especially at night. The male gives a soft preep, and the female has a loud quack.
The grey teal is a gregarious species. It is nomadic in Australia, rapidly colonising suitable habitat following rain. In 1957, large numbers fled Australia, moving to New Zealand to escape a drought.
Adult grey teal, Anas gracilis, undergo a flightless moult that is not fixed in the year. Before the breeding season, mature birds, both male and female, will undergo a body moult that excludes the wings. After the breeding season, both partners will undergo a complete body moult (including wings). According to Janet Kear (2005), in Australia the moult of this species is correlated with climate conditions. Indeed, during a prolonged wet season birds postpone wing moult in order to extend the breeding season, probably to better exploit wetlands resources.
That postponement could be explained by the fact that ducks try not to moult and breed at the same time. For some species of birds it is impossible to do both simultaneously. The tendency seems to be that body moult (including wings) generally occurs between the months of January to March. Juveniles will undergo a moult of the entire body other than the wings, which occurs in the first autumn or early winter.