Eurasian Teal Bird Facts (Anas crecca)

Visual Identification

Appearance

The Eurasian Teal is a small dabbling duck with a compact body and short neck.

Males in breeding plumage display a striking chestnut head with a broad green eye patch, contrasting with a buff and grey body and a black-edged yellow triangle under the tail.

Females and non-breeding males have mottled brown plumage with a dark eye stripe. Both sexes show a green speculum bordered by white on the wings during flight.

Juvenile Teal look very similar to adult females but have spotted underparts.

Size

Length

34cm to 38cm

Wingspan

53cm to 59cm

Weight

250g to 450g

Colours

Male Female

Primary Colour

Green Brown Buff

Secondary Colour

White Black

Beak Colour

Grey Black

Leg Colour

Grey

Primary Colour (Female)

Brown Buff

Secondary Colour (Female)

White Green

Beak Colour (Female)

Grey Black

Leg Colour (Female)

Grey

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Eurasian Teal is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Eurasian Teal is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Eurasian Teal can be found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Eurasian Teal can be found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Eurasian Teal is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Eurasian Teal is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Eurasian Teal is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Eurasian Teal is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Eurasian Teal is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Eurasian Teal is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Eurasian Teal is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Eurasian Teal is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Eurasian Teals inhabit many freshwater wetlands, including shallow lakes, marshes, and slow-flowing rivers. They breed across northern Eurasia, from Iceland to Siberia, including parts of the UK.

During winter, they migrate south to temperate and subtropical regions, including southern Europe, North Africa, and South Asia. In the UK, their numbers swell significantly during the winter months with arrivals from northern Europe.

Elevation Range

Up to 2,000 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subarctic, Arctic

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Eurasian Teal. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons

Resident

Breeding

Non-breeding

Vagrant

Distribution by Region

Species that can be found in the area throughout the year

Albania Antigua and Barbuda Austria Bahrain Belgium Belize Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Guinea-Bissau Hong Kong Hungary Iceland Iran Ireland Israel Italy Jordan Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Latvia Lebanon Lithuania Macedonia Maldives Montenegro Netherlands North Korea Norway Oman Poland Romania Saudi Arabia Serbia Seychelles Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Syria Tajikistan The Bahamas The United Kingdom Turkey Turkmenistan Ukraine United Arab Emirates Western Sahara Yemen

Species that are present in the area during their breeding season

Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Faroe Islands Georgia Greenland Kazakhstan Luxembourg Moldova Mongolia Russia Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands United States of America Uzbekistan

Species that are present in the area outside their breeding season

Afghanistan Algeria Bangladesh Benin Bhutan Cambodia Cameroon Central African Republic Chad China Cyprus Egypt Eritrea Ethiopia Gambia Ghana India Iraq Japan Kenya Laos Libya Liechtenstein Malaysia Mali Malta Mauritania Micronesia Morocco Myanmar Nepal Niger Nigeria Pakistan Philippines Portugal Senegal Singapore Somalia South Korea Sri Lanka Sudan Taiwan Tanzania Thailand Tunisia Uganda Vietnam

Species that appear infrequently (rare) and unpredictably outside their normal range

Anguilla Barbados Brunei Burundi Cape Verde Côte D'Ivoire Democratic Republic of the Congo Rwanda

Behaviour and Ecology

Bird Attributes

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Bird Attributes Explained

Our bird attributes system rates various aspects of a bird's capabilities on a scale of 0-100, based on data from field observations, scientific studies, and expert knowledge.

Attribute Categories:

Agility: Manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.
Strength: Physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.
Adaptability: Ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.
Aggressiveness: Territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.
Endurance: Stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Understanding the Ratings:

0-20: Very Low
21-40: Low
41-60: Average
61-80: High
81-100: Very High

Remember, these attributes are relative to other bird species and don't necessarily indicate superiority.

Hover over the icon next to each attribute for more information.

Tap the icon next to each attribute for more information.

Agility 85

Agility

Reflects the bird's manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.

The Eurasian Teal demonstrates remarkable agility, particularly in flight. Their ability to take off almost vertically from water and perform swift, twisting movements in the air showcases their exceptional manoeuvrability. Their compact body and short neck contribute to their nimbleness both in flight and when dabbling for food.

Strength 40

Strength

Indicates the bird's physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.

As one of the smallest dabbling duck species, the Eurasian Teal's strength is relatively modest compared to larger waterfowl. However, they possess sufficient strength to undertake long-distance migrations and to dive partially underwater when feeding, which requires some muscular effort.

Adaptability 80

Adaptability

Represents the bird's ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.

Eurasian Teals exhibit high adaptability, thriving in various freshwater wetlands across a wide geographic range. Their ability to shift their diet seasonally and inhabit diverse habitats from Arctic to subtropical regions demonstrates their adaptable nature. They also cope well with human-altered landscapes, often utilising man-made wetlands.

Aggressiveness 30

Aggressiveness

Measures the bird's territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.

Generally, Eurasian Teals are not particularly aggressive birds. They are highly gregarious, forming large flocks outside the breeding season, which suggests a relatively peaceful disposition. However, males may display some aggression during courtship and territorial defence in the breeding season, hence the moderate score.

Endurance 75

Endurance

Reflects the bird's stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

The Eurasian Teal's endurance is impressive, especially considering its small size. Their ability to undertake long-distance migrations from northern breeding grounds to southern wintering areas requires significant stamina. Additionally, their capacity to fly at speeds up to 60 km/h demonstrates notable endurance for sustained flight.

Diet

Eurasian Teals primarily feed on plant matter, including seeds, leaves, and stems of aquatic plants. They also consume small invertebrates, especially during the breeding season.

Their diet shifts seasonally, with more animal matter consumed in spring and summer and more plant material in autumn and winter.

They find most of their food at the water’s surface or to a depth of about 25 centimetres. These dabbling ducks may catch small flying insects above the water, dip their head under the water, or upend, but rarely dive.

Behaviour

Eurasian Teals are highly gregarious, often forming large flocks outside the breeding season. They are agile fliers, capable of swift, twisting movements in the air.

When feeding, they dabble in shallow water, tipping up to reach submerged vegetation, and occasionally upend completely.

Vocalisation

Male Eurasian Teals produce a distinctive, high-pitched whistle often described as a 'krik' sound. This call is frequently heard during flight or courtship. Females have a softer, more guttural quack. During courtship, males also make a soft rattling or purring sound.

Nesting & Breeding

Breeding begins in spring, with pairs forming on wintering grounds or during migration. Males perform elaborate courtship displays, including whistle calls and head-bobbing movements.

Females construct nests on the ground, often hidden in dense vegetation near water. The nest is a shallow depression lined with grass and down. Clutch size typically ranges from 8 to 11 eggs, which are pale cream to olive in colour.

Incubation lasts about 21-23 days and is carried out solely by the female. Ducklings are precocial and can leave the nest within hours of hatching, fledging after 25-30 days.

Conservation and Status

Global Conservation Status

Least Concern ^[1]

While currently listed as Least Concern, Eurasian Teals face threats from habitat loss and degradation, particularly the draining of wetlands. Climate change may also impact their breeding and wintering grounds.

Conservation efforts focus on protecting and restoring wetland habitats across their range.

Population Data

Global Population Estimate

2,800,000 mature individuals ^[2]

Global Population Trend

Trend data may be uncertain or fluctuating

Additional Information

Quick Facts

Other names:

Common Teal, Green-winged Teal (Eurasian subspecies)

Family:

Anatidae

Average Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Predators

Main predators include foxes, minks, large birds of prey such as hawks and owls, and large fish like pike.

Did You Know?

Eurasian Teals can take off from water almost vertically, a useful adaptation for inhabiting small ponds.
They are one of the smallest dabbling duck species in the world.
Despite their small size, Eurasian Teals can fly at speeds of up to 60 km/h (37 mph).

FAQs

What is the difference between a Eurasian Teal and a Green-winged Teal?

Eurasian and Green-winged Teal were long considered to be subspecies of a single species (Anas crecca). Despite a very similar appearance, the North American birds have been elevated to full species status and are now known as the Green-winged Teal (A. carolinensis).

Apart from their New World distribution, these birds differ from the Eurasian Teal (A. crecca) in having a vertical white stripe on either side of the breast, below the head. Green-winged Teals also lack the white stripe on the closed wing below the scapulars.