Eurasian Teal

Anas crecca

Fast and erratic in flight, the Teal is the United Kingdom’s smallest wildfowl species. Despite occurring year-round in low numbers, birdwatchers are most likely to spot these tiny ducks in the winter when large numbers arrive from abroad.

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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