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Silver teal
A male in Brazil
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Spatula
Species:
S. versicolor
Binomial name
Spatula versicolor
( Vieillot, 1816)
Subspecies
Synonyms

Anas versicolor Vieillot, 1816

Anas versicolor - MHNT

The silver teal or versicolor teal (Spatula versicolor) is a species of dabbling duck in the genus Spatula. It breeds in South America.

Between April and June they prefer reed beds and will lay 6 to 10 creamy-pink eggs. As with swans and geese, both parents will rear the ducklings. [2] A pair may bond long term. It lives on fresh water in small groups, and feeds primarily on vegetable matter such as seeds and aquatic plants. [3][ citation needed] [4]

The silver teal's range includes southern Bolivia, southern Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands, [1] and the Falkland Islands. [5] The southernmost birds migrate to southern Brazil in the winter.

Silver teals are on the whole placid ducks but may be protective of eggs, young and females. [2]

Description

They have a black cap that extends below the eyes, and a bluish bill with a yellow tip. They also have a green speculum with a white border. [6]

The Puna teal was previously regarded as a subspecies of this bird. Currently, there are two subspecies:

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b BirdLife International (2016). "Spatula versicolor". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22680329A92855919. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22680329A92855919.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b McKinney, Frank; Brewer, Gwen (1989-01-01). "Parental Attendance and Brood Care in Four Argentine Dabbling Ducks". The Condor. 91 (1): 131–138. doi: 10.2307/1368156. JSTOR  1368156.
  3. ^ "Silver Teals | Beauty of Birds". www.beautyofbirds.com. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
  4. ^ "Anas versicolor Vieillot 1816 - Encyclopedia of Life". eol.org. Retrieved 2019-02-23.
  5. ^ a b c Clements, J. (2007)
  6. ^ ArthurGrosset.com

References