Chestnut Teal Duck

The Chestnut Teal is a small dabbling duck with a high forehead and rounded head. Males are distinctive, having a glossy green head, chestnut brown neck, breast and flanks, dark brown upper body and wings, and a black undertail with contrasting white patch.

This one from the park is very much a male in his breeding plumage. In both sexes the eye is a deep red, the bill is blue-grey and the legs and feet are green-grey. The wings have a dark glossy green to purple panel, edged white, and the underwing is brown, with white wing pits.

The Chestnut Teal is found in south-western and south-eastern Australia. In the east, it is found from Rockhampton, Queensland to Ceduna, South Australia, being most common in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.

Better colour.

Chestnut Teal is found on wetlands and estuaries in coastal regions, and is one of the few ducks able to tolerate high salinity waters, although it still needs fresh water for drinking. It will also use open freshwater lakes, reservoirs and sewage ponds during dry seasons.

The Chestnut Teal eats seeds and insects, and also dabbles for food while swimming in the water, up-ends to bottom feed or takes food from the surface.

Predators are many and include Little Ravens which eat eggs and young, Blue-tongued Lizards which eat eggs, Purple Swamphens and Musk Ducks which take ducklings. Foxes will also take eggs, young and adults – if they can get close enough without swimming!